December 20, 2023 by Ithaca Times

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A Gothic Restoration PAGES 8-10

TCAT HOLIDAY SERVICE

MEET ITHACA’S NEW POLICE CHIEF

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SMALL BUSINESSES POSITIVE IMPACTS DRYDEN BAKER SPEAK OUT AGAINST OF GUARANTEED RISES IN NATIONAL WINE SALES IN INCOME PROGRAMS COMPETITION GROCERY STORES PAGE 5

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Diet, lifestyle changes can reduce fatty liver disease risk By Adam Riordan, DO

atty liver disease, or FLD, is a widespread condition in which fat builds up in your liver, the largest organ inside the body. We differentiate between two main types of the disease. The most common, found in about 25 percent of people in the United States, is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD. As the name indicates, it occurs in people who drink little to no alcohol but still have the Adam Riordan, DO resulting fat that deposits in the liver. In most cases, FLD will not cause serious problems or prevent your liver from working. When the fat percentage in the liver reaches about 5 to 10 percent of the weight of the liver, it can become more worrisome. A few people, about five percent, also experience inflammation. This is called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, and may in some cases lead to liver injury, fibrosis, and ultimately cirrhosis – permanent scarring and hardening of the liver. Having cirrhosis can also increase the risk of getting liver cancer. In women over the age of 65, endstage FLD is now the most common reason for a liver transplant, and it is expected to become the overall number one reason for liver transplants in the future. (Both NAFLD and NASH are different from alcoholic fatty liver disease, which occurs only in individuals who have alcohol as a risk factor.) FLD is sometimes called “silent liver disease” because it usually has no symptoms, though inflammation in NASH may cause some fatigue or non-specific pain in the upper right side of your abdomen. The fat deposits are often found by chance during a regular checkup or imaging for other medical issues. Your doctor may also suspect FLD because you have other risk factors such as diabetes or obesity. In the case of NASH, inflammation can show up as abnormal values of certain markers in your blood work. There is currently no medication for NAFLD or NASH. If you are diagnosed with either, much of the treatment – through weight loss, regular exercise, and managing related conditions – is in your hands, in coordination with your doctor. Who is more likely to develop fatty liver disease? People with obesity are more likely to have fat deposits in their liver. Where we carry our weight matters. We are finding that fat around the stomach and trunk means a much higher risk overall than fat deposits around other areas of the body. This is true even when someone is not clinically overweight. FLD is most often diagnosed in middle-aged people, though children and young adults can also be affected. Hispanics appear to be most at risk, followed by non-Hispanic whites. It is less common 2 The Ithaca Times / December 20 – 26, 2023

in African Americans. The exact causes of FLD are unclear, but the disease has several known risk factors: • Diabetes: Among people with type 2 diabetes, up to 75 percent may have NAFLD. • Certain metabolic disorders, such as metabolic syndrome. • Exposure to certain medications such as amiodarone, tamoxifen, steroids, and diltiazem. • Obstructive sleep apnea. • High blood pressure. • High cholesterol. How is fatty liver disease treated? Weight loss is by far the most important treatment for FLD. We recommend losing three to five percent of body weight to lose some of the fat within the liver. This is best done slowly, one to two pounds a week, under the supervision of your primary care physician. The Mediterranean diet – with many fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats, and moderate amounts of fish, dairy, and poultry – may be helpful. Fad diets and losing weight too fast can increase the amount of fat in the liver and make it hard to keep the weight off. Alcohol should be avoided in NAFLD and MUST be avoided entirely in NASH. It is akin to “adding gas to the fire,” so to speak, and can accelerate damage leading to cirrhosis. It is also important to treat other comorbidities by keeping type 2 diabetes under control and working on coronary-vascular risk factors such as high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Make sure to discuss with your doctor any medications, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies you may be using, and discontinue any that may be harmful to your liver. The third main component is exercise. We recommend at least 150 minutes a week of vigorous movement. This should incorporate a mild to moderate resistance program with weightlifting as well, as this can improve insulin resistance. While many drugs are being studied as possible treatments for FLD, there are currently no pharmacological options available. But with good nutrition, weight loss, and plenty of movement in your day, there is a lot that you can do on your own to control and reverse fat buildup in your liver. Adam Riordan, DO, joined Gastroenterology Associates of Ithaca in 2018. He’s originally from the Southern Tier. He is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine. He can be reached at (607) 272-5011.

Newsline Federal Court Sides with Cornell in Lawsuit brought by Retired Workers

By M at t D ough e rt y

he United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recently approved a lower court’s dismissal of a lawsuit brought against Cornell University by retired workers. The case, Cunningham V. Cornell, accused the university of breaching their fiduciary responsibilities under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). According to the lawsuit, “This case is one of a number of similar actions filed in federal courts across the country alleging that university pension plans, known as ‘403(b) plans’ have been improperly managed in violation of ERISA. In general, ERISA is designed to protect the rights and interests of employees, including retired workers, by establishing standards for the management and administration of employee benefit plans. In the lawsuit, retired workers claimed that Cornell entered into a “prohibited Contin u ed on Page 15

TCAT Announces Holiday Service Schedule, No Service Christmas and New Year’s Day

A new narcotics detection canine is joining the team at the Tompkins County Sheriff ’s Department, and the department is seeking community input to select the pup's name. The new narcotics detection canine is being added to the team due to the recent retirement of Laker, the county's former narcotics canine. The new canine is a one-and-a-half-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer who was adopted from Shallow Creek Kennels located in Sharpsville, PA. “The canine and his handler, Deputy Kenney, will soon both begin the process of becoming single-purpose certified in Narcotics Detection

By Sta ff R e p ort

n December 11 TCAT announced that the organization will operate on a modified service schedule starting on December 24. Route schedules will return to normal schedules on January second. Starting on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) Service will end early and route 92 will not operate. There will still be normal service on Routes 13, 21, 52 and 77. There will also be a Modified service schedule on Routes 11, 14, 15, 17, 30, 32, 40, 43, 51, 67 and 90 as follows: • Route 11: Last outbound trip departs from Green St. Station at 6:08 p.m.; last inbound trip departs College Circle Apartments / Ithaca College at 6:30 p.m. (ending at Seneca St. Station at 6:48 p.m.) • Route 14: Last outbound trip departs Green St. Station at 6:00 p.m.; last inbound trip departs Cayuga Medical Center at 6:35 p.m. (ending Green St. Station at 7:00 p.m.) • Route 15: Last trip departs Seneca St. Station at 6:15 p.m. and from Walmart at 6:28 p.m., (ending at Green St. Station at 6:41 p.m.) • Route 17: Last outbound trip departs Green St at 6:41 p.m. • Route 30: Last outbound trip departs Green St. Station at 6:00 p.m.; last inbound trip departs Shops at Ithaca Mall at 6:00 pm (ending at Seneca St. Station at 6:20 p.m.)

T a k e X County Sheriff Seeks Community Input on Naming New Narcotics Detection Canine

VOL. XLIII / NO. 69 / December 20, 2023 Serving 47,125 readers week ly

NEWSLINE ��3-5 GUEST OPINION �� 6 SURROUNDED BY REALITY �� 7 NEWS �� 11 SPORTS �� 12 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT �� 13 FOOD �� 14

TCAT will be operating under a special holiday service schedule until the end of the Holiday season. (Photo: File)

• Route 32: Last outbound trip leaves Green St. Station at 6:30 p.m. ending at Northwoods Apts. at 6:58 p.m. • Route 40: No 6:55 p.m. inbound from Groton. • Route 43: The 5:55 p.m. outbound trip will provide drop-off service only after the Varna timepoint (6:12 p.m.) to Dryden, Freeville, and Groton. • Route 51: Last outbound trip departs Green St. Station at 5 p.m.; last inbound trip departs Skyvue @ Snyder Hill at 5:26 pm, ending at Seneca St. Station at 5:53 p.m. • Route 67: Last outbound trip departs Green St. Station at 6:40 p.m. with dropoff service only after Elmira Rd. @ Spencer Rd. timepoint (6:51 p.m.) Contin u ed on Page 16

N o t e

and hopefully be certified by April 2024.” The canine will not be trained in bite or apprehension work and that its single purpose will be for narcotics detection — except for marijuana since it has been legalized in New York. “The canine will be trained in a passive detection alert, indicating the presence of drugs by sitting in front of the detected location.” Like the department's previous narcotics detection canine, “this canine will be approachable and capable of working in and around people, including children.” The Sheriff's Office is currently seeking input from the community with naming the canine. Members of the Sheriff's Office have come up with four names that hold meaning to this

ON THE COVER:

Renovations Restore the Immaculate Conception Church to its Gothic Glory.

community, and we are now asking community members to vote for one of the four names through our poll. https://poll.app.do/tompkinscounty-sheriff-s-office-announces-new-k9

CLASSIFIED �� 17-18 TIMES TABLE �� 19

ON T HE WE B Visit our website at www.ithaca.com for more news, arts, sports and photos. Call us at 607-277-7000 M a t t D o u g h e r t y , M a n a g i n g E d i t o r , x 1217 E d i t o r @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m Ch r i s I b e r t, C a l en da r Ed i to r , A r t s @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m A n d r e w S u l l i v a n , S p o r t s E d i t o r , x 1227 Sports@flcn.org M a t t D o u g h e r t y , N e w s R e p o r t e r , x 1225 R e p o r t e r @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m Kenneth Waterhouse, Photographer Ste ve L awrence, Spo rts Co lumn ist St e v e S p o r t sD u d e @ g m a i l .co m L u c y A l l e n , F r o n t D es k F r o n t @ I t h a c a T i mes . c o m J i m B i l i n s k i , P u b l i s h e r , x 1210 j b i l i n s k i @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m L a r r y H o c h b e r g e r , A ss o c i a t e P u b l i s h e r , x 1214 l a r r y@ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m F r ee l a n ce r s : Barbara Adams, Stephen Burke, G. M Burns, Alyssa Denger, Jane Dieckmann, Charley Githler, Ross Haarstad, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Henry Stark, Bryan VanCampen, and Arthur Whitman THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE ITHACA TIMES ARE C O P Y R I G H T © 2 02 3, B Y N E W S K I I N C . All rights reserved. Events are listed free of charge in TimesTable. All copy must be received by Friday at noon. The Ithaca Times is available free of charge from various locations around Ithaca. Additional copies may be purchased from the Ithaca Times offices for $1. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $89 one year. Include check or money order and mail to the Ithaca Times, PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. ADVERTISING: Deadlines are Monday 5 p.m. for display, Tuesday at noon for classified. Advertisers should check their ad on publication. The Ithaca Times will not be liable for failure to publish an ad, for typographical error, or errors in publication except to the extent of the cost of the space in which the actual error appeared in the first insertion. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication. The Ithaca Times is published weekly Wednesday mornings. Offices are located at 109 N. Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 607-277-7000, FAX 607277-1012, MAILING ADDRESS is PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. The Ithaca Times was preceded by the Ithaca New Times (1972–1978) and The Good Times Gazette (1973–1978), combined in 1978. Founder Good Times Gazette: Tom Newton

December 20 – 26, 2023 / The Ithaca Times

INQUIRING Chief Kelly Prioritizes Building Trust with Police and Public PHOTOGRAPHER A N e w s l i n e

By Ke nne th Wate rhou se WHAT IS YOUR

FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON?

“Coming together with family.” – Zeke P.

“Drinks and cookies.” – Jeremy T.

“Family and giving.” – Carrie P.

“Finding that perfect gift.” – Charles P.

“Spending time with dear friends.” – Jenny K.

By M at t D ough e rt y

enforcement. Kelly says that this process cannot fter nearly three years without a per- be rushed and that it will manent chief of police, former Sche- take some time to acnectady Police Department Lieuten- complish. While repairing the ant Thomas Kelly has been approved by the relationship between law Common Council as the new permanent police chief at the Ithaca Police Department. enforcement and the community is a long-term task, Kelly was nominated for the position by Kelly said that he was able Mayor Laura Lewis on November 27, and to contribute to the process the Common Council voted to approve his in his previous position in nomination on December 6 by a margin of Schenectady. According 9-1, with Fourth Ward Alderperson Jorge to Kelly, his experience DeFendini voting in opposition. has taught him to “learn Kelly is replacing Acting Police Chief to listen more and talk Ted Schwartz, appointed in May 2022. Mayor Lewis has said that Schwartz will be less, and to recognize that people have experiences returning to his previous role as Lieuthat you can’t relate to, and tenant of Investigations. Schwartz was Tomas Kelly is the new Chief of Police at the Ithaca Police Department. (Photo: Kenneth Waterhouse) you have to do your best to appointed to the position following the be open and learn.” departure of Acting Chief John Joly, who designed to function and how they can be Kelly said that it’s important for law filed a lawsuit accusing the City of reverse adapted to work,” Kelly said. enforcement officers to understand that racism for not giving him the permanent Kelly says there were many positives “there’s a history in this country with policChief position because he is a white man. with the programs he helped introduce ing and marginalized communities, and That lawsuit remains ongoing, although in Schenectady, such as “establishing the City ended up giving the job to a white you always have to be cognizant of that.” relationships with surrounding agency He continued by saying that as a member man. Following the initial failed search, partners” and different state and federal of law enforcement in 2023, “it might not the Common Council passed a resolution agencies. According to Kelly, “It created be a value that you share, and you weren’t to allocate $50,000 to hire Public Sector more opportunities to share information.” part of those problems, but the problem is Search and Consulting as a private search Speaking of information sharing, Kelly yours now.” firm to help the city launch a successful has said he agrees that IPD needs to comKelly added that following through on nationwide search process. municate better what they do daily with several components of the reimagining Kelly’s first day in office was Dec. 18, the public. He says that he would look public safety plan this past Monday. He into helping the department develop a will not only help will be paid an annupublic-facing map to allow residents to acimprove trust with al salary of $150,000 cess more information about local police the community but and a signing bonus activity. Kelly says that while there are also alleviate the of $50,000 that will some concerns about protecting privacy, strain on an overbe delivered in three he thinks that increasing transparency is a worked and underequal installments step in the right direction. staffed department. over three years. — Thomas Kelly In regards to how Kelly would direct According to Kelly, Additionally, the his department to respond to the growparts of the plan, Common Council ing crisis of homelessness, Kelly said such as creating an unarmed co-response approved a $15,000 transitional housing that people need to recognize that “law team, will benefit everyone because “there stipend to aid Kelly’s relocation efforts. are a lot of situations that law enforcement enforcement is not the solution for every In the days leading up to his start date, issue.” However, he continued saying that has traditionally been called to handle Kelly told the Ithaca Times that his main police have a role to play, especially in the that don’t have a law enforcement solupriority as he joins the department and Jungle, because there is a safety concern. tion.” Kelly continued by saying that real the community is building trust. Kelly said, Kelly continued by saying that IPD “There’s a lot of conversations to be had, and solutions can be identified if people who needs to work with the City and the it’s important to get comfortable having un- are better equipped to work with cases of County to bring in the resources that are comfortable conversations.” He added, “I’m mental health, homelessness, or substance best suited to help people struggling with use disorder are sent to respond to calls coming in with an open mind, and I want homelessness. According to Kelly, “There alongside officers. to learn and hear from everybody.” are intersections between homelessness, Kelly has said that several of the proKelly continued saying he would be poverty, food insecurity, mental health, grams introduced as part of reimagining open to holding more town hall meetings, and substance use disorder.” He continued, public safety are things he has experience similar to the one held at GIAC on Nov. 2, working within his previous employment. to improve communication and transpar“I understand how those programs are ency between the community and law Contin u ed on Page 7

“I’m coming in with an open mind, and I want to learn and hear from everybody.”

4 The Ithaca Times / December 20 – 26, 2023

UPS&DOWNS

N e w s l i n e

Small Business Owners Voice Opposition to Wine & Liquor Sales in Grocery Stores

By M at t D ough e rt y

ew York’s Finger Lakes Region is among the best wine regions in the Country. USA Today has named the Finger Lakes the fourth-best wine region in the country, behind California’s Paso Robles and Temecula Valley and Colorado’s Grand Valley. The region has 130 wineries with more than 9,393 acres of vineyard. According to the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance, “the industry is run by small, specific producers whose wine reflects place and personality.” The industry has supported hundreds of small businesses throughout the region for decades, and now big box grocery stores are trying to get in on the game. The City of Ithaca alone is home to more than ten small wine and liquor stores, and the owners of these stores have voiced their opposition to efforts to allow wine and liquor sales in grocery stores. Marc Grimaldi, owner of The Cellar D’Or, located on the Commons in downtown Ithaca, has said he opposes allowing wine sales in grocery stores because it would hurt small businesses and the consumer. “We don’t want wine in grocery stores because it hurts small businesses…and it hurts the consumer because the consumer loses selection,” Grimaldi said. He added that putting wine in grocery stores “cheapens the product, and the selection goes down because “Grocery stores don’t care about wine, they care about their margins, and that’s it.” Grimaldi continued saying, “We’ve already seen it with Wegmans where they started opening up wine stores and imme-

Wine and Spirit shop owners are voicing concerns about going out of business if big box grocery stores are allowed to start selling wine and liquor. (Photo: Matt Dougherty)

Ups

diately cut out all of the brands that don’t sell the best; then the selection goes down, and that’s why you have a bad selection of wine in grocery stores.” A recent poll by Siena College suggested that three out of four New Yorkers supported wine sales in grocery stores. However, The Cellar D’Or on the Commons in downtown Ithaca is one of many local wine and Executive Director of the Metropolitan spirit shops in Ithaca. (Photo: File) Package Store Association, Michael Correra, spirit shops in the area are small businessreleased a statement saying that the survey es that are often family-owned and passed “failed to acknowledge that Wegmans Food down through generations. On average, Markets funded the research.” these shops provide jobs to 10 employees, According to Fox News station and Correa says that they “are typically WNYW-TV in New York City, “Wegmans staples of their communities.” has reportedly spent at least $32,000 in Cowley agreed, saying, “New York canMay (2023) lobbying for wine to be sold in not pass legislaits stores.” Correa tion prioritizing says that “such convenience actions appear to over the tens of cross the line of thousands of jobs ethics, accordcreated by our ing to guidelines carefully managed by the National three-tier system Council on Pubof controls.” She lic Polls.” continued by sayPublic Relaing that “allowing tions specialist — Marc Grimaldi big business to Claudia Cowley cannibalize New said big box York’s independently owned wine and stores like Wegmans “stand to gain from liquor stores is most certainly not in the big businesses moving into an industry best interests of New Yorkers or the busithat independent store owners have well nesses they patronize.” served since Prohibition.” Additionally, In states where legislative leaders have Correa says that if big box grocery stores already given in to the lobbying might of like Whole Foods, Aldi, Stop & Shop, and wealthy big box stores, such as Colorado, Wegmans successfully buy their way into which allowed WIGS starting in March the region’s wine and liquor industry, they 2023, small business liquor stores are will outcompete small businesses. already being forced to close their doors. “Given these and other big box retailCorrea has said that small wine and liquor ers’ massive clout over volume discounts retailers across Colorado are “experiencing and domination of regional advertising, small New York merchants have no way to dramatically decreased foot traffic across the state, with some businesses reporting compete with these multinational consales down 10% to 60% since supermarglomerates,” Correa said. He continued, kets started selling wine.” “Our New York State elected officials must According to Correa, “If this nightmare protect small businesses and not kowtow scenario for small businesspeople passes to the demands and incessant lobbying of the New York State legislature, it will no big business.” doubt be responsible for snuffing out the Correa added, “These major corporaAmerican Dream for thousands of small tions seek to grow their profit margins in New York businesses, and with it the hopes New York to enrich shareholders while and dreams of the many families of imlikely not adding a new job. Expect them migrants who invested all they have in their to rely on existing employees, so the same inventory, their stores, and workforce.” clerk stacking cans of vegetables in aisle nine will also unpack wine in aisle 27.” Correa continued by saying that most Contin u ed on Page 15

“We don’t want wine in grocery stores because it hurts small businesses…and it hurts the consumer because the consumer loses selection.”

The South Albany Street Bridge reopened on December 15 at 5p.m. The South Albany Street Bridge reopened at 5 o’clock. It’s been closed since May for a replacement project that also added bike lanes and 8-foot sidewalks on both sides. City officials say it will close again briefly in the spring for final detail work.

Downs

A former US postal worker in Ithaca will serve probation on charges he stole money orders. 40-year-old Stephen Perrine was sentenced to 12 months’ probation after pleading guilty and must also pay full restitution to the USPS. Prosecutors say Perrine resigned from the post office after he was charged.

HEARD&SEEN Heard

TCAT General Manager Scot Vanderpool has said that TCAT has five new bus drivers in training. Vanderpool says training for new drivers can range from five to nearly 10 weeks depending on experience.

Seen

Caesar Fontana, owner of the Eddy Street staple Fontana’s Shoes, passed away in his sleep on December 10. Fontana’s Shoes started in 1965 and is still a successful retail business today in Collegetown. Fontana was 93 years old. A celebration will be held in 2024 on a date to be announced.

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

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Should grocery stores like Tops and Wegams be allowed to sell wine and liquor? 63.2% Yes .

No. 15.8% I don’t care. 21.1%

N ext Week ’s Q uestion :

What’s your New Year’s resolution? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

December 20 – 26, 2023 / The Ithaca Times

GUEST OPINION

The High Cost of Low Holiday Prices

Shadows on the Cave Wall: Ithaca High School’s Coursework Culture Hides its Best

By S ona l i Kol h at k a r

’

Tis the season for holiday sales. But on the other side of the planet, there’s a high cost for those low prices. This is especially true for “fast fashion,” the clothing equivalent of a Big Mac: attractive, affordable, and throwaway. The Bangladeshi women who toil as underpaid garment workers so we can wear disposable outfits are making their voices heard loudly enough to reverberate across oceans. Mass protests for higher wages have roiled the South Asian country. Bangladesh is the world’s secondlargest exporter of apparel in the world, after China. Recognizable name brands like H&M, Zara, Calvin Klein, American Eagle, and Tommy Hilfiger, among others, rely on Bangladeshi garment factories. The country’s 4 million garment workers, most of whom are women, until recently took home a meager pay of just $75 a month and hadn’t gotten a raise in years. By one estimate, the cost of living for a single person in Bangladesh is about $360 a month, not including rent. Workers have demanded a modest $205 a month, but pay increases offered by the country’s manufacturers totaled

barely half that. As protests intensified, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina — once hailed as a liberal leader — unleashed security forces that have intimidated and attacked union organizers. Police recently fatally shot a 23-year-old mother and sewing machine operator named Anjuara Khatun after firing at protesters. On the surface, U.S. brands who purchase their inventories from Bangladesh’s factories appear to be on the right side of the fight. The American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), an industry trade group, wrote a joint letter urging Hasina to “raise the minimum wage to a level… sufficient to cover workers’ basic needs.” The AAFA even asked the government to avoid retaliating against unions and to respect “collective bargaining rights.” The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying, “We commend the members of the private sector who have endorsed union proposals for a reasonable wage increase.” Further, global retailers are offering to eat into their profits by increasing the price they pay factories to help them offset increased wages. Currently, the cost of Contin u ed on Page 7

6 The Ithaca Times / December 20 – 26, 2023

By Fe l i pe Poe l l i ng

s it turns out, I was not ready for college. Not in the sense that I’m drowned in unread books and attempted assignments—I’ve learned to jump through hoops as well as any circus animal. Rather, the most jarring aspect of my arrival to this new scholarly circus is my newfound freedom to pursue passions. When course registration came around, I was lost—I am majorless and afraid to explore, and I blame Ithaca High School. In combination, the course requirements, scheduling limitations, and academic culture at IHS serve to prevent any meaningful exploration from happening, which is a shame because IHS offers so many unique classes that I am certain are hiding some unfound passions. In my eyes, the deeper trend of ever worsening student attitudes towards high school is symptomatic of the prescriptive nature of coursework—how can a student be expected to find enjoyment in courses they’ve been shepherded into? I arrived at IHS with optimism—by the end of 8th grade, I had heard of the impressive variety of courses offered, and student ambassadors from a few departments had restored within me an excitement to learn that had previously been dwindling. My schedule for my freshman year was composed of all of the honorsflavored usual subjects, as well as an introductory engineering course, honors German, gym, and band. My coursework left me room for lunch, a luxury that many other students hadn’t allowed themselves, but my alternative sacrifice was to opt into “0-period,” an additional class tacked on 45 minutes before the start of the typical school day. In truth, I didn’t have much say in this schedule—math, science, social studies, English, a foreign language, and gym were required, and I wasn’t keen on quitting engineering or band. So, my first year at IHS was entirely swallowed by classes I had been bound to in some form, and the areas that I had been so eager to explore remained unexplored. That particular year for example, I had wanted to learn Photoshop in a digital media class, but couldn’t fit it into my schedule. Thus, my first gripe with IHS’s coursework sur-

faced—requirements prevented me from taking new classes I found interesting. The point may be raised that I did have a choice to explore—and I filled that choice with band. However, there is a difference between pursuing new things and maintaining interests. A student should not have to sacrifice passions to find new passions. In tandem with requirements, scheduling problems would often arise. In the rare event that I had room for an extra class that I wanted to take—such as marine biology in my junior year and AP Music Theory in my senior year—the classes would still need to mesh with my schedule, which they never did. Scheduling season to me, and to most others at IHS, was a time of tradeoffs. Guidance counselors would be encased in their offices behind a wall of students, waiting to trade passion for a transcript boost. And the transaction always went that way. I knew I wanted to shoot for the moon for college, and as such, approaching my sophomore year, I felt obligated to reverse-engineer my schedule from the college application I looked to submit 3 years in the future. That meant taking on as many APs as I could manage, and keeping consistency by committing to engineering for four years, despite enjoying it less and less as time passed. The pressure for excellence (though I prefer the more telling “selling your soul”) came from all directions—from my parents, dead set on keeping me in line for my aspirations; from colleges, whose applications seem to imply APs give the best shot; and from my peers, who shared, and thereby reinforced, the standards of success that I had. In succumbing to the pressure, I found myself more stressed, taking classes I wasn’t interested in, and giving up exploration. And it isn’t just me—ask any high-achieving IHS student, and you’ll find that I maybe should’ve actually taken more APs. I had very limited opportunities to explore in high school, but some of my favorite—and most educational—classes came from outside the beaten path. During my senior year, I took a risk—instead of taking the more advanced AP Lit, I Contin u ed on Page 16

GUEST OPINION

SURROUNDED BY REALITY

End of Year Deadline for Gov. Hochul to Miracle on West Sign Bill Modernizing NY Voting Laws Buffalo Street By B r a n d on L or e n z

hile most New Yorkers are thinking about their holiday plans, Gov. Hochul still has an important deadline looming to improve turnout and election administration in New York. Gov. Hochul has not yet taken action on S3505B/A4282B, a bill that would improve access, turnout, and efficiency by moving most county and town elections in New York to even years. Governor Hochul will need to decide before the end of the year whether to sign this bill. This bill matters because turnout in odd-year elections across the state is typically dismal. Just 18% of eligible voters in New York turned out in 2023, compared to 43% in 2022 and 61% in 2020. Extremely low turnout in these odd-year elections often leads to unrepresentative outcomes, where an extremely small share of voters elects county and town officials. S3505B/A4282B can avoid these unrepresentative outcomes. Moving most local elections from low-turnout odd-years to even years, where federal and statewide offices are also on the ballot, will attract significantly more voters and dramatically boost turnout in these local elections. Several published studies have found that voter participation doubles in even-year elections, and experts across the political spectrum have described even-year local elections as by far the most impactful way to increase turnout in local elections. This change can also help make the electorate for local elections more reflective of New York’s diverse population. When several California cities moved to even-year elections, turnout significantly increased CHIEF KELLY contin u ed from page 4

“We should be partnering with the agencies in the City and the County that are better equipped to work on those issues.” “We need to work with people living in these situations because it’s up to them, you can’t force help on somebody,” Kelly said. He added, “We need to work on having those conversations and bringing in the right resources to help people.”

among young voters, Latino voters, and Asian American voters. By signing S3505B/ A4282B, Governor Hochul can help increase representation for these communities in their local governments. Moving local elections to even years can also save money and increase efficiency for election officials. S3505B/A4282B represents a major first step towards consolidating elections in New York that are currently spread across multiple days. Ultimately, if all local elections are moved to even years, county boards of election will be spared the expense of holding separate low-turnout affairs in odd-years. One study found that moving odd-year elections to even-years in Washington, Montana, and Idaho (three states with a combined population much smaller than New York) could save roughly $30 million per two-year election cycle. Consolidating elections can free up election officials to deploy their resources more efficiently in even years. Shifting local elections to even years is also popular with New York voters, who recognize the efficiency and representation gains of aligning local elections with state and federal elections. A recent Siena College poll shows that voters across party lines support moving local elections to even years, with respondents supporting the change by more than 2 to 1. We hope you will consider a column or opinion piece urging Gov. Hochul to sign this bill and avoid ending the holiday season with a lump of coal. This bill has gained support from a broad coalition of organizations. If you have any questions about this bill, I’d be happy to connect you with Neal Ubriani, Policy and Research Director for the Institute for Responsive Government, or experts from Citizens Union. Additionally, Kelly said that he thinks it’s important for IPD to have an officer patrolling the Commons once staffing shortages are addressed. According to Kelly, “The Commons is an incredible centralized location for the community to come out and enjoy the area and feel safe.” Kelly continued, “Having officers that can interact, be visible, and provide that sense of security is important, especially for large public gathering areas.”

By C h a r l ey G i t h l e r

t’s time to come clean: deep in my heart I believe in Santa Claus. I haven’t said that publicly before. For one thing, my offspring, who are in quasi-adulthood or beyond, are already on high alert for signs of my cognitive decline and I don’t wish to provide them with more ammo than is already available. (I caught my son watching me intently to see if I’ve started moving my lips while I read.) I know it’s not fashionable, but there must be others, like me, who secretly believe. I did poll my next door neighbor who, though five and a half years of age, has become one of my closest advisors. She expressed no doubt whatsoever about the existence of Santa and proceeded to rattle off a pretty impressive Christmas list. I almost asked her, since a “real magic wand” was number three on the list, why she didn’t just ask for that and create the rest of the presents herself once it showed up, but I knew that would merely leave both of us feeling out of our depth and confused. Actually a little worried that she might get the wand, too. That kind of power is not to be treated lightly, and scientists are pretty clear about a five-and-a-half-year-old’s prefrontal cortex: it’s in a state of development where decisionmaking about the care and handling of a real magic wand would be inconsistent at best. My own use of a real magic wand would very likely end in disaster. One reason I believe is that Santa delivers. I live downtown, and since mid-October, within a block and a half of my house there’s been a murder and an attempted murder outside on the street. Not making that up at all. I’ve been here for going on twenty years and within the past five years ‘shots fired’ has become almost routine, and it didn’t used to be that way. There was a gun battle between two cars speeding down West Seneca Street at 4:00 one afternoon last summer. I asked Santa for us to go back to having 80 officers THE HIGH COST contin u ed from page 6

the labor to produce garments is a mere 10-13 percent of a product’s total manufacturing cost.

in the Ithaca Police Department, like we did 20 years ago, instead of the 40 officers we have now. What Santa gave Ithaca was 20 license plate-reading cameras to be installed throughout the city. Not facial-recognition, license plate-recognition. Thank you, you jolly old elf. Naturally, there’s been some handwringing. One Scrooge-like alderperson is “suspicious about more mass surveillance throughout the city.” The ACLU (of which I am a member) has raised the specter of “Orwellian-like surveillance practices”. As opposed to Orwellian surveillance practices. Upon those people, I would ask Santa to bestow common sense. First, if you’re driving a car with a license plate on the front and back on a public street, your expectation of privacy should be pretty low. It’s a Christmas fact. Whether it’s a cop or a bystander with real eyes or a camera that is seeing you, you’ve kind of surrendered to being observed just by driving around. Second, there’s always a trade-off between security and privacy, and sometimes it has to be adjusted. If anyone is tempted to post some wry comment about me being a fascist, hold off unless you live downtown, too. I’ll need to see at least a utility bill with your name and a downtown address. In September, 1822, it was reported in the American Journal that anyone informing the Village of Ithaca of a violation of its laws would be entitled to half of the fine paid. That’s how you run a police state. Anyway, somehow he made it happen. Could be some behind-the-scenes lobbying of the Common Council, adjustments to the Naughty List, maybe elves, I don’t know, but it’s a source of holiday cheer in my neighborhood. Next year perhaps we could go back to enforcing some of the provisions of the Vehicle and Traffic Code. I don’t want to be greedy, but I haven’t seen anyone obey a traffic control device within city limits since Carolyn Peterson was sitting on the throne. But are companies really committed to raising garment workers’ wages? A survey of about 1,000 factories in Bangladesh, published in early 2023, Contin u ed on Page 15

December 20 – 26, 2023 / The Ithaca Times

Recapturing a Former Glory Immaculate Conception Church Celebrates its 125th Year with a Restoration that Takes it Back to its Gothic Roots

By Ta n n e r H a r di ng P h o t o s b y K e n Wa t e r h o u s e a n d G l e n G a s t o n

n the late 1800s, in an Ithaca that looked very different than it does now, Immaculate Conception Church was built on N Geneva Street. Imposing in size and Gothic in design, the parish is now in its 175th year serving community members — and with its anniversary comes a refresh. A multi-year project to restore the church to its former glory is nearing completion, as it awaits its final few upgrades. Father Augustine Chumo, the church’s pastor, created a new grounds committee back in 2019 to examine the church’s needs. Marie Terlizzi, a parishioner and member of the grounds committee, said they discovered the building had a lot of envelope issues that needed to be fixed. The restoration funds came from the sale of the church’s former school, as well as what Chumo called “generous support” from parishioners. Two of the major issues to fix were the roof and the windows. Some of the ornate and vibrant stained-glass windows were rebuilt as required, and some of the roof flashing was replaced. Additionally, the exterior stone was cleaned and repainted and all asbestos was removed in the building, despite delaying the project a bit. “There’s no asbestos in the building anymore,” Chumo said. “We’re very happy we don’t have to deal with it.” A few other upgrades were made to improve parishioners’ comfort, including installing air conditioning and putting in a new sound system. “We desperately needed that,” Terlizzi said. “People were always saying they couldn’t hear what was going on.” While the structural elements are arguably the most important improvements, it’s the design restoration inside the church that really shines. “It took a while to understand what we wanted to do inside,” Terlizzi said. “We wanted to restore it to the spirit of the orig-

The church circa 1938. (Photo: Provided) KEY MOMENTS IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH (more history at https://www.immconch.org)

1833 First Catholic families arrive in Ithaca. 1837 — First Mass celebrated in Ithaca by Rev. Peter Connoly of Auburn.

1848 Ithaca receives its first resident pastor, Father Guilbride; the parish is born! 1851 First church, St. Luke, located on the site of the present parish center, is dedicated on Dec. 7.

1860 Second, larger church, located on the corner of Geneva and Seneca Streets, is dedicated on Dec. 12 under the title of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

1879 Father Alfred J. Evans is appointed pastor and serves 28 years until his death in 1907. 1884 Parish opens Parochial School, with 326 pupils, taught by Sisters of St. Joseph. 1895 The decision is made to build a third church, the current one. Ithaca architect A.B. Wood is chosen to design the structure.

1898 The new church, a Gothic Revival design, is dedicated on Sept. 11. 1912 Tellers pipe organ is installed. 1938 New marble main altar and side altars are consecrated by Bishop Kearney.

8 The Ithaca Times / December 20 – 26, 2023

inal architecture… zIn the ‘60s and ‘80s there was a lot stripped out.” Chumo described the church before the restoration as “gray.” “They tried to modernize what should not have been modernized,” he said. Terlizzi recalled the dirty blue carpeting, cramped pews and “ugly, ugly lighting.” “The goal was to give it more of the original feel and when people come in make them feel uplifted,” she said. “It was missing that.” The floors have been completely replaced, with no carpet to be found on the altar or in the pews. The aforementioned lighting was also replaced. “We used old reference photos of the church,” Terlizzi said. “At one time we had pendant lighting and that disappeared, and now that’s back.” Indeed, the hanging lights offer a warm, ambient glow throughout the church and look quite similar to a 1968 reference photo of the church. Another major internal change is the location of the confessionals. They have been moved to the back and were built by a local woodworker. The rich, dark wood and intricate Gothic details closely resemble the original design. The pews are made from the same deep mahogany wood and also feature Gothic detailing. Additionally, the pews are now spaced further from each other to give parishioners more room. “We reduced the capacity a little to accommodate new pews,” Chumo said. “It’s over 500 [capacity] now, down from 700. You couldn’t kneel down without kicking someone.” The new pews also improve handicap accessibility in the building. “The architect designed in wheelchair spaces near the pillars so you can sit with your family and park a wheelchair without blocking people from entering the pews,” Terlizzi said. And as an added upgrade, the entire lift system was replaced to help parishioners with disabilities easily access all levels of the church.

A sentimental change for parishioners, Chumo said, was the restoration of the original baptism chapel. A statue of the Virgin Mary was previously in the baptism chapel, and the intricate stained-glass window had been covered up. Now, the window has been restored, the statue has been moved and the floor has been replaced. A new font came to the church from Belgium and is made out of Belgian Bluestone.

“Most of the parishioners were baptized there,” Chumo said of the chapel. “So they wanted that back.” The statue of Mary was moved just to the right of the baptism chapel, facing the altar where the confessional was previously. It is complete with a mahogany rail and votive candles. Mary, along with the other statues inside the church, were repainted by hand.

“They painted the statues the way they’re supposed to be painted,” Chumo said. New stations of the cross were also added to the walls alongside the pews. Chumo got them from St. Mary’s of Assumption in Rome, New York because that church was closing. “They blend in perfectly,” he said. The two most striking changes in the church are probably the

Looking toward altar. The entire church was taken back to bare walls and floor.

rediscovered windows above the altar and the hand-painted details throughout. The ceiling is a mid-tone blue at the front of the church and through the center aisle, popping against the deep mahogany beams and arches. There are gold-painted details throughout the ceiling, with the front of the church evoking the night sky. The beams and arches are also painted in a shimmering gold, giving them a highlighted effect. Alongside of the pews are arches, the underside of each meticulously hand-painted in a pattern that resembles a mosaic tile design. The center-facing sides of the arches are also painted, adding a pop of color against the creamy beige arch. High above the altar are three “new” stained glass windows. While part of the church’s original design, the windows were plastered over long ago. “I think what might have happened is that there’s one 20-minute block in the morning where the sun shines through into the pews,” Terlizzi said. “But the way I see it, just sit somewhere else.” Despite all the work that’s been done, there are still a few details that are still being waited on, according to Chumo and Terlizzi. The church is still waiting for its organ to be returned as well. At over 100 years old, it was due for a full restoration. Terlizzi said it had been patched up over the years, but it needed a complete overhaul. There’s an issue with the supply chain for one element, but Terlizzi said they hope to have the organ back in time for Christmas. The confessionals are also still waiting on the leaded glass windows to be installed, and both Chumo and Terlizzi made reference to the wainscoting as something that needs to be addressed. Aside from those smaller details, there are a few bigger projects down the pipeline that will need to be done. One of them is to continue improvements to the roof, as they’ve discovered a few leaks since the original work was done. The northeastern section of the church walls also needs to be stabilized, as the gable walls are slowly moving outwards. However, there’s currently a power-

Pastor Fr. Augustine Chumo shephered the more than two-year project. line in the way that Terlizzi said has forced the church to put off a number of projects because it’s too dangerous to work in that area. She said she’s planning to work with NYSEG to find a solution so that engineers can access that area of the building. So far, both Terlizzi and Chumo said they have only heard positive things about the church’s restoration. “I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback from parishioners… People say it was worth waiting for,” Chumo said. Terlizzi added that the restoration has brought new energy to the church’s masses since reopening in June. “I think people are happy, and you can kind of feel it in the services,” she said. “This church is a draw for people who love traditional churches.” It’s also a draw, it seems, for brides and grooms looking for a photogenic place to say, “I do.” “We have so many upcoming weddings now with the new church,” Chumo said. “Next year is already filling up.” Contin u ed on Page 10

December 20 – 26, 2023 / The Ithaca Times

RECAPTURING A FORMER GLORY contin u ed from page 9

Chumo said that trend has also extended to regular churchgoers, as he’s started noticing big-ger crowds at services. “It was trending down but now it’s coming back,” he said. “Just before COVID people had started slowing down a little bit, but now the numbers are bigger than before.” Terlizzi, however, attributes that to Chumo. “I think Father Chumo has been the big change,” she said. “We are very grateful. I think Father’s presence here is driving numbers back in the right direction.”

Custom-Built Mahogany High Altar With The Three Discovered Stained Glass Windows Overhead.

Choir Balcony Overlooking Main Floor.

Hand painted statue of Virgin Mary.

Looking north across front of church at repaired stained glass windows.

10 T h e I t h a c a T i m e s / D e c e m b e r 2 0 – 2 6 , 2 0 2 3

News

Guaranteed Income Pilots Reveal Local and National Benefits By Mat t D oug he r t y

o matter where you live, living costs are skyrocketing, and people struggle to afford necessities for themselves and their families. This was the main topic of discussion at the screening of It’s Basic, an awardwinning documentary about the impact guaranteed income programs have on individuals and communities, at Cinemapolis on December 12. The screening was hosted by Ithaca Mayor Laura Lewis, the Tompkins County Human Services Coalition, and Mayors for a Guaranteed Income. Following the film, Liddy Bargar, Director of Housing Initiatives at the Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County, moderated a roundtable discussion with Mayor Lewis and recipients of Ithaca Guaranteed Income as they discussed the impact of receiving monthly direct cash payments. The event was part of the Guaranteed Income Works national tour, and the film documents guaranteed income recipients from national pilots. The film follows several pilot programs launched in cities nationwide that test the effects of giving people in need an extra $450 to $1,000 every month, with no strings attached. The press release announcing the event stated, “It’s Basic explores the power of cash and the importance of dignity through the eyes of guaranteed income recipients who have experienced firsthand the transformative effects of financial stability.”

The data obtained through these studies seems to disprove previous claims that giving people “free money” would have a negative impact on the labor market by encouraging them not to work. Mayor Lewis has said that 120 cities across the country In New York State, 38% of households have launched similar programs, and data have not purchased necessities like food and from Ithaca’s Guaranteed Income dashmedicine in the past 12 months to afford board has shown that “recipients of direct paying energy bills. In Tompkins County, cash assistance overwhelmingly use the Feeding America has estimated that at least money on their basic needs [such as] hous10,400 people (10%) are food insecure, and ing, utilities, food, and unexpected medical as of 2021, roughly 7,188 residents received expenses or other financial emergencies.” SNAP benefits. Additionally, Tompkins Data shows the three biggest categories County has a poverty rate of 16%, which is of expenditures in Ithaca’s program were above the national average of 12.6%. In response to this crisis of unaffordabil- food and groceries (38.45%), retail sales and ity, the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County services (25.03%) and financial transactions (14.91%). These were teamed up with the followed by transport organization Mayors related expenses for a Guaranteed (8.44%), housing and Income, which is utilities (6.7%), mediworking with the cal expenses (2.83%) University of Pennand travel or entersylvania’s Center for tainment (2.6%). Guaranteed Income In Ithaca, the piResearch to gather lot lasted from June data on the impact — Mayor Laura Lewis 2022 to May 2023 that guaranteed inand involved giving come programs have $450 every month to 110 local particion individuals and communities. pants. The eligible participants included Mayor Michael Tubbs of Stockton, “primary unpaid caregivers to children California, founded Mayors for a Guaranand aging or disabled adults that reside teed Income. The results from Stockton’s in Ithaca and have an income at or below guaranteed income program found that it improved overall health outcomes for re- 80% of Area Median Income.” While the median household income for the average cipients while also increasing a recipient's Ithaca resident was around $40,973 — the full-time employment rate over a year. median household income for the average Following the program’s success in StockIthaca resident in the pilot was $15,702. ton, former Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick The program targeted unpaid caregivintroduced the idea of bringing a similar ers and was open to all races and genders, program to Ithaca before retiring in 2022.

“This no-strings-attached cash payment was a unique and important opportunity for people to direct funds to their greatest needs.”

Mayor Laura Lewis hosting the Mayor’s for a Guaranteed Income screening of “It’s Basic” at Cinemapolis on Dec. 12. (Photo: Provided)

yet the funds reached higher proportions of women and people of color because systemic racism and sexism make it harder for them to achieve financial freedom. The Ithaca caregivers in the program were quite diverse, with 74% of participants identifying as women, 23% as men, and 3% as non-binary. In addition, 29% of participants identified as Black or African American, 2% identified as Latinx, 12% identified that they were of mixed descent, and 52% identified as White. “I’m so pleased that the Ithaca Guaranteed Income program provided our caregiving residents with this much-needed financial support,” said Acting Mayor Lewis. She continued, “Individuals engaged in caregiving for others may be underpaid or uncompensated, yet their work is vital. This no-strings-attached cash payment was a unique and important opportunity for people to direct funds to their greatest needs.” Lewis added that the payments were made in cash because “cash is the currency of urgency” and that “the program also recognizes the freedom and dignity that comes from an IGI recipient determining for themselves the best use of such funds, whether for groceries, transportation/ vehicle repair, rent, education costs, daycare or any other basic needs.” Contin u ed on Page 16

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call 607 272 9175 December 20 – 26, 2023 / The Ithaca Times

Sports

The Boyes are Back After Father Jerry Plays for National Football Title, His Son Zac Wins One By Ste ve L aw re nc e

s SUNY Cortland won an utterly thrilling football game — taking down previously unbeaten North Central in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl to win the Division III national championship — I thought about how excited I was when the first Stagg Bowl was played in 1974. The game was not televised then, but I knew that Bill Bryant — four years my senior, but a friend and a high school star at my high school in Owego — was suiting up for the Ithaca College Bombers.

Bryant, a wide receiver who would have played in the NFL save for an injury suffered in training camp, was a favorite target of quarterback Jerry Boyes, a heralded field general and stud multi-sport athlete. I wish I could say that the Bombers won that game, but they did not. Fast forward 49 years to the Cortaca Jug game a few weeks ago, Boyes’ alma mater faced the Red Dragons of Cortland led by a savvy field general of their own, a junior quarterback by the name of Zac Boyes. Of course, Zac is Jerry’s son. I was amazed — and impressed — with Boyes’ ability to make the big plays when they counted. On numerous occasions, the Bombers just needed to stop him to turn momentum, and they were not able to do so. Last weekend’s Stagg Bowl featured a similar di-

12 T h e I t h a c a T i m e s / D e c e m b e r 2 0 – 2 6 , 2 0 2 3

lemma for the North Central defense. The team came in as a heavy favorite, having won 29 games in a row and having gone 56-2 since 2019. The ESPN announcers kept pointing out that the team was averaging nearly 60 points a game, but they were as surprised as anyone when the rollercoaster contest turned on two huge defensive plays. On the Red Dragons’ final drive, it came down to do-or-die for the offense, facing a fourth and five a few yards beyond midfield. If North Central makes the stop, they win. Boyes took the snap, could not find an open man, deftly evaded a tackle, then tucked it in dashed to a first down. Cortland scored a TD a few plays later, kicked the point after to go up by seven. Soon thereafter, North Central scored a clutch TD to pull within a point, and they elected to go for a two-point conversion, and thus, the win. Their quarterback — who won the equivalent of the Division III Heisman Trophy — called a keeper of his own, but the Cortland defense read the play and swarmed him short of the goal line, preserving the school’s first-ever championship. It was high-drama, with the Red Dragons proving that championships are won on the field, not on a team’s laurels. Boyes had a game for the ages, throwing for 349 yards and five touchdowns, and

Forty-nine years ago Ithaca quarterback Jerry Boyes (#12) poses with Coach Butterfield.

running for 123 yards on 16 carries. The bigger the situation, the tougher he played, finally bringing a Stagg Bowl trophy to the Boyes’ household. Bill Bryant was elated with the outcome, saying, “I’m just thrilled that Cortland won. I am so proud of the way Zac played, and I could not be happier for his Contin u ed on Page 16

Dave Solazzo, Visiting Lecturer at Cornell, Releases New Album

By Peter Rothbart

avid Solazzo is an enigma. In person, he is outgoing and animated, a friendly conversationalist who wanders off into harmonic technicalities while he talks about weightlessness in his arms as he plays. But his debut CD and digital download as a band leader, entitled, “Dave Solazzo and The Bridge” reveals a decidedly introverted bent. He’s an accomplished and veteran pianist who spent most of his professional life content as a sideman in clubs and society gigs. Yet, as he turns 50, he wonders if he has spent too much time playing other people’s music. “I’ve played most of my life as a sideman. I’ve always enjoyed that. But I also had a vision. A lot of the sideman stuff is straight ahead jazz and I love it. That’s where I come from,” he reveals in a recent one-on-one interview in the basement sanctuary of the Green Dragon Café at Cornell. Solazzo grew up in Syracuse and studied classical piano as a foundation for his future musical adventures. His father was an instrumental music teacher and bass player who taught him about piano voicings and improvisation. He graduated from SUNY Purchase after spending a semester at the Berklee College of Music. In between playing gigs throughout Central New York, he maintains an active teaching studio in Syracuse and as a Visiting Lecturer in Jazz Piano at Cornell. His digital album, He loves what he calls progressive post-bebop jazz, yet he has a hard time defining it. His soloing is a veritable bible of musical styles: licks paraphrased or outright borrowed (the polite musical term) from a range of jazz, pop, funk and hip-hop all rolled into a decidedly tight left hand that foregrounds the melodic variations of his right hand. His digital album “Locrian Skye” is his first as a leader but, “ (I) …consider it more of a collaboration with my bass player friend Matthew Vacanti. “The record actually came from a late-night conversation we had in a down-

town Syracuse bar in late May. I was feeling a little bit creatively stagnant, just a little burned out. I did have ideas and had a vision for music you couldn’t really carry out as a sideman. When you’re a sideman you help people’s vision and you help support them. I felt like I wanted to do progressive stuff too. Matt said we should do a record.” They brought Boston drummer Bill D’Agostino on and started rehears- Dave Solazzo, after years playing “other people’s music” steps out with his own. (Photo by Marc Safran) ing and developing the material. Most of the tunes were recorded in a single Sunday after one or two takes to preserve the hand’s melodic work, Solazzo foregrounds the spontaneity of their collaboration. “You never melodic line of his right hand, relegating his know what you have until afterwards. I’m left to a softer, more supportive role. It’s as if happy with the spirit of the record.” he is channeling his years of sideman work to Solazzo uses a lot of motives. While other his left hand while liberating his right hand soloists only hint at their motives, hiding or to explore the melodic development that has embellishing it, Solazzo’s motives are clearly been pent-up for so many years. stated, intact, and embedded in the body of “Locrian Skye” is a modal tune that, his solo. Only after defining them, does he go “…goes other places.” He explains that the off on it. It’s his style, his mark. “I like this idea locrian mode is not used as often as other of motivic improvisation, taking a theme and scales when soloing. “It’s unstable. That’s why I just playing it over and over again. You invert like it.” The alternative spelling, “Skye” reflects it, rhythmically displace it. You’re embellishhis use of the “alternate scale.” ing it, but it’s all coming from that melody, Solazzo also references Keith Jarrett in his even when it starts to get complicated. When gospel influenced “Song in C” on the album. I throw the quotes in there it’s a theme. I can But his dynamic range is narrower than Jaruse them as a springboard. It’s like a classical rett’s, his sound more even with less hard composer who can write an entire symphony swing, a smoother form of gospel that is disfrom one theme.” tinctly his own. He describes his tune, “Song We hear this in the opening cut on the in C,” as an example of drawing from sources album, “Salina Street.” Each motive is wellbeyond mainstream jazz. defined. Only after he plays it, does he begin While listening to some hip-hop and rap to widen the melodic intervals, picking notes and music of saxophonist Ben Wendell, he inside and outside of the chord as the solo found a kind of minimal quality in the sound, progresses. especially in the use of only a few chords Solazzo cites the improvisation style of harmonically and the distinct use of repetiKeith Jarrett, and Brad Mehldau among others tion. These ideas emerge in his spontaneously as influences. Both Solazzo and Jarrett avoid composed, “What Is That?” Another cut “Get pattern-based soloing which takes an idea and Lifted” is, “…more like a jam funk, recorded sequences it in either an up or down motion. in that context,” according to Solazzo. It was In the hands of lesser players, it can sound like recorded in one take, and he describes is as, an implanted musical exercise. But Solazzo “…Snarky Puppy-like.” takes his cue from pianist Hal Galper who told him, “Instead of learning 100 licks, learn Peter Rothbart is a Professor Emeritus of Music 10 licks and 100 ways to use them.” Solazzo at the Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre explains that for example, you can displace and Dance where he taught electroacoustic the idea rhythmically or vary it harmonically and media music for 40 years. He remains or widen or narrow the intervals. active as a classical, jazz and pop musician. The pianist, who has worked with the likes of Chuck Mangione and Larry Coryell, reveals other conundrums in his playing. He repeatedly cites the influence of legendary pianist by Dave Solazzo Oscar Peterson but while Peterson’s playing usually displays a balanced, egalitarian sound digital album available or downloadable between his left hand’s chording and his right at davesolazzothebridge.bandcamp.com.

“Locrian Sky”

Arts&Entertainment

SIDEMAN STEPS UP

December 20 – 26, 2023 / The Ithaca Times

Food

Dryden Baker Seeks to Rise in National Competition By L A Bourge oi s

arion Ferrer, a competitor in this year’s Greatest Baker contest, became a baker by

accident. “When I was going to TC3 [Tompkins Cortland Community College] for art, I decided to try to make some extra money. I created a brochure and got slammed with orders for pastries,” she said. “That was really all it took for me to know I wanted to go to culinary school.” Ferrer grew up in Dryden, and decided on Johnson & Wales for her culinary education.

“I liked that I could drive in Rhode Island more easily than I could in New York City. That petrified me,” she said. But after school, that fear was gone. She traveled across the world, working on cruise ships in Hawaii and hotels, restaurants, and country clubs in California. When she moved back to the Ithaca area, Ferrer opened her own business, selling wholesale desserts to local restaurants and creating custom wedding cakes. “I had a small kitchen on Aurora Street in a house,” she said, “and then I got married and built a beautiful commercial kitchen. I expanded to online sales and Etsy. I did cake camp for kids at Lansing

School District, and hosted a lot of parties and events. About five years ago, I lost that kitchen in a life change. Since then, I've been rebuilding my life and trying to decide what was next.” Her friends prompted Ferrer to enter the Greatest Baker. “I first met her 18 years ago when she did my own wedding cake,” Stacey Baker, Ferrer’s friend and client, said. “She has made at least 500 unbelievably beautiful wedding cakes, been featured in several bridal/wedding magazines and helped open and taught at Coltivare’s baking and pastry school. She has contributed so much to the food and wine scene in the Ithaca area. She deserves the recognition and support of local foodies and artisans.” In the Greatest Baker competition, bakers from around the country vie to win $10,000, meet Buddy Velastro from television’s Cake Boss and be featured in “Bake from Scratch” magazine. Over weekly rounds of voting, the thousands of contestants are winnowed down until only one remains. The results will be revealed on Feb. 9, 2024. “If people don’t vote daily, you’ll slip down,” Ferrer said. “I don’t really have a kitchen right now. So, if I win, my dream is to expand my kitchen in my house in Dryden so that I can teach in my home, because teaching is what I love to do.” Currently, Ferrer is leading her group. The competition is also a fundraiser for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, a nonprofit that battles childhood cancer. “You can vote once every 24 hours for free,” Ferrer said. “But if you want to purchase votes, that money goes towards children’s cancer research, so it’s a win-win.” The Ithaca Times sat down with Ferrer to discover what she loves about teaching people, her favorite bakes, and what she’s learning through this competition. What do you love about teaching other people to bake? It’s fun! I love the feeling of them realizing they can do something they didn't think they could do. They’re always surprising themselves. And that’s really the best feeling when they leave feeling really proud of something that they made and they get to take it with them. I think that I make it fun and interesting, and that’s very rewarding. Since I don’t have a kitchen, I go to other people’s homes and do private classes for groups of six to eight. It’s hard to teach culinary online. It’s a hands-on kind of thing. I hope to teach a Valentine cookie decorating class at “The Corner Brew” in Dryden in February. Kayla Lane, the owner of The Corner Brew and I dis-

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Marion Ferrer, who grew up in Dryden, is competing in this year’s Greatest Baker competition.

cussed hosting several baking and cooking classes there in the future. If readers are interested, they can find more information on my Facebook page at facebook.com/ marion.ferrer.756. There have been several children, or not children now, that I taught when I was in Lansing that have gone on to culinary school. I am going to take a portion of the funds if I win and create a scholarship fund to help someone get to culinary or pastry art school. What’s your favorite thing to bake? One of the things that I like doing is apple strudel. It’s a dough that’s very simple, just flour, water, salt, sugar and you. You pull it very thin, like paper, on a table. Then you fill and roll it up. It has many layers, and it’s crispy and delicious. It’s just fun to make. The other thing I love to do is custom cookies. People really love to do fancy frosting. And there’s a lot of tools and skills involved with that. It's challenging and fun. They’re like doing portraits like canvases. What are you learning through this competition? Every time that you make it to a new level, they have these little workshops that you’re able to take with people in the industry who are professionals and who have a lot of experience with social media. That’s been really interesting and fun. They give tips and tricks for photography, social media, how to market yourself. They’re trying to build you up and give you confidence to push the envelope and Contin u ed on Page 16

FEDERAL COURT contin u ed from page 3

transaction” by paying the retirement plan record keepers an “unreasonable compensation.” Under ERISA, prohibited transactions refer to specific transactions and activities that are restricted to maintain the integrity of employee benefit plans. However, in their ruling, the court decided it was insufficient to allege that a fiduciary caused the plan to compensate a service provider for services. Instead, the complaint must plausibly allege that the services were unnecessary or involved unreasonable compensation, thereby supporting an inference of disloyalty. THE HIGH COST contin u ed from page 7

revealed that companies like Zara and H&M underpaid factories for garment purchases, making it harder for them to pay their workers. And when the COVID-19 pandemic led to global shutdowns, large retailers canceled orders and delayed payments. “Only when suppliers are able to plan

The ruling suggests that the court found no legal basis for the specific allegations of retired workers or that they were insufficiently supported in the lawsuit. If the court had ruled against Cornell, it could have led to financial consequences and changes in how the university manages its employee benefit plans. However, since the claim was dismissed, the impact on Cornell will likely be mitigated, and the university won’t face the full range of consequences that could have arisen from an unfavorable judgment. The court’s determination, including its interpretation of ERISA and the requirements for stating a claim related to prohibited transactions, may influence how similar cases are decided.

He continued saying that if the New York State legislature and executive leadership in Albany decide to give “preferential treatment to wealthy Wall Street and private equity interests behind the big box store surge to command the lion’s share of state wine and liquor store sales, it would represent a doomsday scenario to some 3,500 small wine and liquor merchants across the state.” Correa added, “Our individual, small mom-and-pop store owners across New York State can’t compete with the economic might of the bog box and supermarket retailers seeking total market domination.”

One of the members of the New York State Assembly that represents parts of the Southern Tier region, Anna Kelles, has told the Ithaca Times that she would not support a bill to allow wine and liquor sales in grocery stores. “There are certainly some [small businesses] that would be put out of business if this were to pass,” Kelles said. She continued by saying that small business owners have asked her “for the sake of diversity in the marketplace, the livelihood of themselves, their families, their staff, and customers” not to support the bill. “For these reasons, I am honoring their wishes and not supporting this bill as it is written and with its current intent,” Kelles said.

ahead, with confidence that they will earn as expected,” one industry expert told The Guardian, “can they deliver good working conditions for their workers.” It’s been more than 10 years since the deadly collapse of Bangladesh’s Rana Plaza, the world’s worst garment industry disaster. The eight-story compound in Dhaka was filled with thousands of workers when it crumbled under the weight of government neglect and worker exploita-

tion in April 2013. More than 1,100 workers, most of them women, were killed. In the wake of the disaster, North American brands refused to join other global companies in signing on to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. Citing high costs, they chose instead to form their own alliance for inspecting factories, one that applied lower safety standards. It was a stark indicator of where these companies’ priorities lay — and suggests

their latest comments about higher wages are just lip service. Fast fashion is expected to more than double its market size over six years, growing from $91 billion in 2021 to a projected $185 billion by 2027. Meanwhile, the workers who fuel the profits behind that expansion are facing starvation. This holiday season, perhaps the best gift we can give is a commitment to force the industry to pay up.

WINE & LIQUOR INDUSTRY contin u ed from page 5

ince 1981, the Ithaca Times has closed every year with the “Readers’ Writes” issue, featuring submissions from the most diverse writing staﬀ at our disposal: you. Stories, poems, drawings and photographs are all welcome and complete artistic freedom is in your hands. It’s a platform for you to be heard beyond the letters page.

This year's theme is «If I could I would.....» As tradition dictates, any interpretation of what this prompt means to you is fair and, of course, a wide range of submissions will be accepted-just as long as you stay under 600 words. Send your submissions to Attn: Readers’ Writes, the Ithaca Times, PO Box 27, Ithaca, New York 14850 or email them in with a subject line of “Reader’s Writes” to editor@ithacatimes.com. Looking forward to seeing your stuﬀ!

GET WRITING! December 20 – 26, 2023 / The Ithaca Times

not operate Routes 10, 81, 82, 90 and 92. According to the statement announcing contin u ed from page 3 the schedule, “In lieu of route 82, route 51 • Route 90: Last outbound (northwill serve Maple Ave. in both the outbound bound) trip departs Green St. Station at and inbound directions.” It continued say5:45 p.m., last inbound (southbound) deing, “Administrative offices will be re-open parts RPCC at 5:57 p.m. (and turns into a for normal weekday business hours.” Durroute 15 at Seneca St. Station at 6:12 p.m.) ing this period service will return to normal There will be no service on Christmas on Routes 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 30, 31, Day, December 25, and starting on Decem- 32, 36, 37, 40, 43, 51, 52, 65 and 67. ber 26 through December 29 TCAT will Route 92 will not operate on December

30. All other routes will run as normal except for: Route 90: Last outbound (northbound) trip departs Green St. Station at 7:45 p.m.; last inbound (southbound) trip departs RPCC at 7:57 p.m. (and turns into a route 15 at Seneca St. Station at 8:12 p.m.) On New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) service will end early and will follow the Christmas Eve schedule. There will be no service on New Year’s Day, January 1. Then service will return to normal on January 2.

SHADOWS ON THE CAVE WALL

only offered at the regents level, gave me the opportunity to take a step back from all of the work and learn for the sake of learning. Honors English 11, in place of AP Language, left me with a baseline that has proven surprisingly more applicable in my first-year university writing than that of AP Lang. Such explorations are invaluable, and allow passion to grow—

which in my mind, prepares one better for college than the cookie-cutter set of classes I was pressured into. In English 11, we covered Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, in which a group of people are imprisoned facing a cave wall, and the only existence they know is the shadows on the wall in front of them, caused by a fire behind them. One freed

from the cave understands that a greater reality exists beyond the shadows. So, to my ex-peers, I suggest taking a closer look at the shadows—a risky class or two is worth the fun, and won’t kill your college application. And, to IHS, I urge that you stop stoking the fire, and work towards scheduling and an academic culture that is for students, not against.

with reminders. And some people are buying votes so they really, really want me to win. I would love the support of the community. If you wish, you can vote for Marion Ferrer at GreatestBaker.com/2023/marion-2. Photos of her work can be seen at the bottom of that page.

THE BOYES ARE BACK

could in his father — and he obviously has a very high football IQ.” (That is no surprise, given Jerry Boyes spent 34 years as the A.D. and football coach at Buffalo State.) Bill added, “I am proud to have played with Jerry in the first Stagg Bowl, and it’s great to see a Boyes cross the finish line 49 years later.”

TCAT ANNOUNCES

contin u ed from page 6

took English Digital Media, and it became easily one of my favorite classes in high school. Instead of taking another AP, my four years in band fostered a true passion for music. Government, a required class DRYDEN BAKER contin u ed from page 14

get out there and let people see you, which is fun. I realize that it’s a lot to ask the people to vote every 24 hours, but I have friends who are setting their alarms or their phone

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dad. Jerry was a great option quarterback, and I watched Zac run with that similar long stride, and his style reminds me of Jerry’s. Plus, there’s that competitive fire — you can see it in his eyes, just like you

GUARANTEED INCOME contin u ed from page 11

Lewis has said that while the city is unable to come anywhere close to providing adequate funding to launch a permanent guaranteed income program of its own, “It is hoped that the research results from our city’s program, in concert with additional national research, will offer a framework to support future Guaranteed Income programs.”

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