Dec. 10, 2025

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Nurses at Cayuga Medical Center Unionize, Citing Staffing Shortages

By Maddy Vogel

Over 350 registered nurses at Cayuga Medical Center have formed a union, Cayuga United-CWA, and are seeking voluntary recognition from hospital management to begin bargaining for their first union contract.

The workers unionized with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), which represents workers across the telecommunications, healthcare, public services and non-profit sectors. CWA Local 1111 is its local chapter based in Elmira, and also represents workers at The Advocacy Center of Tompkins County.

In a statement announcing the unionization, CWA said nurses are unionizing to work under a contract that guarantees safe staffing to protect patients and nurses. Understaffing at Cayuga Medical Center has led to “deteriorating conditions” since the COVID-19 pandemic, CWA said. This has resulted in an unsustainable number of patients which the union says is impacting working conditions and patient care.

There have been attempts to unionize at Cayuga Medical Center for nearly a decade, with early efforts citing understaffing and dissatisfaction with management in 2015.

Heather Bretz, a 4N RN, said health care unions are associated with better patient outcomes.

“Many nurses enter health care out of a sincere desire to help others, which can make us vulnerable to being overloaded at work,” Bretz said. “Unfortunately, the patient pays the ultimate price for this. Evidence clearly shows smaller nurse to

T ake n ote

patient ratios mean better patient outcomes. Participation in a union means I have a stronger voice when it comes to protecting my patients.”

In January, Cayuga Health and Arnot Health merged to form Centralus Health. The merger had been in the works since

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X HUD Rules Changes Put Tompkins County Homeless Services At Risk

Tompkins County’s homelessness response system is bracing for major program and funding disruptions as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rolls out sweeping policy changes for its Fiscal Year 2025 Continuum of Care competition. Local leaders say the new rules represent a sharp departure from long-standing federal support for Housing First, harm reduction and equitybased practices. The new rules were ordered as a result of federal directives from the Trump administration that require HUD to restrict funding for programs using those approaches. Under the new rules, HUD is prioritizing projects that emphasize treatment and recovery requirements, expanded lawenforcement coordination, encampment enforcement and employment-focused selfsufficiency. At the same time, applicants must now certify that they do not engage in several

practices that have been common in homelessservices work for more than a decade.

Under HUD’s new FY 2025 rules, applicants must affirm they do not:

• Operate, support or partner with safeconsumption or drug-injection sites

• Distribute drug paraphernalia or safer-use supplies on or off program property

• Permit illicit drug use on property under their control

• Use “harm reduction” as a justification for any program activities

• Use any definition of sex other than binary (male/female)

• Use racial preferences or “intentional proxies for race” in program design or service delivery

HUD warned that it may reduce or deny funding for applicants who have previously used these approaches.

The changes are expected to significantly affect Tompkins County’s program landscape. New permanent supportive housing projects may only serve older adults or people with physical disabilities, while transitional housing programs must provide 40 hours of services per participant each week. New street-outreach projects must demonstrate cooperation with law enforcement on publiccamping and public-drug-use enforcement, and new rapid rehousing projects will be judged on past success increasing participants’ employment income.

Local applications are due Dec. 15, with funding decisions expected Dec. 30. Officials say the combination of sweeping rule changes and a compressed timeline will reduce available funding and force organizations to overhaul program models that have supported the county’s homelessness response for years.

@ ithacatim E s com s C ott M anson , a ssociat E p ublish E

F r EE lanc E rs : Barbara Adams, G. M Burns, Charley Githler, Stephen Burke, Bill Chaisson, Ross Haarstad, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Henry Stark, Peter Rothbart, Austin Lamb, Clement Obropta, Jake Sexton, Kira Walter, and Vasant Alex Laplam THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE ITHACA TIMES ARE COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY PATHWAYS TO EQUITY, LLC. 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: $139 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,

(1972–1978) and The

IN UIRING

PHOTOGR PHER Q A

By Mark Syvertson

QUESTION

OF THE WEEK: “WHAT WAS THE LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN THEATRES?”

NOTE: If readers wish to participate in the Ithaca Times’ Inquiring Photographer column, contact Mark Syvertson at marksyvertsonphotography@gmail.com

“Deliever Me From Nowhere. It was better than I thought it would be but the last 10 minutes ruined it.” – Wes

“It Was Just An Accident. It was great.” – Charlie

– Cynthia

– Adam

Ithaca City Manager Deb Mohlenhoff Resigns at Council’s Request

By Philip O’Dell

The Ithaca Common Council accepted City Manager Deb Mohlenhoff’s resignation during its Wednesday, Dec. 3 meeting. Mohlenhoff’s service will conclude at year’s end and Deputy City Manager Dominick Recckio will serve as acting city manager until the council selects a replacement.

The council also passed a resolution that Cantelmo introduced to formalize oversight and performance protocols for the acting city manager. The new rules mandate that the acting city manager will meet weekly with Cantelmo for performance reviews and operational discussions, and provide monthly executive session briefings to the council on personnel and departmental updates. The acting city manager must acknowledge council inquiries within two business days and provide a full response within five, unless otherwise arranged.

The resolution also schedules two performance reviews—an interim 90-day review and a final 180-day review—conducted by Cantelmo in consultation with the city attorney. Beginning Feb. 1, 2026, the acting city manager will be required to submit monthly financial reports and a monthly vacancy report detailing recruitments and hiring timelines.

Mayor Robert Cantelmo asked for a motion to enter executive session to discuss a personnel matter. Cantelmo said he and the council anticipated voting items afterwards.

On Monday, Nov. 24, common council held a special meeting in which the sole agenda item was an executive session for “matters leading to the removal of a particular person.” That executive session lasted approximately one hour and no action was taken. At the time, Cantelmo told the

NURSES AT CAYUGA MEDICAL CENTER

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2023 and had been awaiting approval from the New York State Department of Health (DOH) for more than a year. DOH officially approved the merger in June.

When the merger was announced, leaders from Cayuga and Arnot said the move would improve access to care. They cited rising operational costs, workforce

Ithaca Times in a statement that Mohlenhoff was still employed by the city and that no further information could be provided.

The executive session that lasted around 36 minutes included council alderpersons, City Attorney Victor Kessler, Recckio, and five present candidates elected in November who will serve on council in 2026.

Following the session, the council voted unanimously to accept Mohlenhoff’s resignation. In a press release Wednesday night, the city said Mohlenhoff’s resignation was submitted at the request of the council.

“The City is not claiming any wrongdoing; rather Common Council has opted to seek fresh leadership before the new year,” the statement read.

Mohlenhoff’s resignation follows a tumultuous budget season that featured a staff error resulting in an unexpected $2.1 million shortfall in the proposed 2026 city budget. Mohlenhoff delivered the announcement during the Ithaca Common Council’s Oct. 21 budget meeting. She said city staff found the error just hours before that meeting, describing it as “significant and unexpected.”

“The error occurred when a draft revenue line was manually removed by staff during the budget development process, but due to a synchronization error the change did not carry over to the underlying budget dataset,” Mohlenhoff said at the time. “As a result, incorrect information was inadvertently included in the final document.”

Mohlenhoff oversaw an emergency budget task force to close the shortfall, while city staff conducted a comprehensive line-by-line budget audit to avoid further discrepancies.

The council approved a stopgap package and six amendments to the proposed budget to close the revenue gap at its Nov. 5 meeting. The amendments and final calculations result in a total 4.11% increase in the tax levy. The council passed the 2026

shortages and the need for increased access to specialized care as key reasons for joining forces.

Jacki Thompson, a 4N Educator, said unionized nurses seek to have their voices heard by hospital administration.

“I want a union to ensure we have the resources to provide excellent patient care and put the patient first,” Thompson said. “I want to amplify our voices so that we have a place at the table. I want to make sure that our hospital does not lose

city budget at its Nov. 12 meeting that totaled $111,458,496, a roughly $4.7 million increase from last year’s. The tentative budget passed on Oct. 6 was originally higher at $112,893,913.

Cantelmo recognized Mohlenhoff’s service as city manager, a role she served since Jan. 1, 2024. He noted that Mohlenhoff has served in other city positions that include city council member, longtime budget chair, acting mayor, and chief of staff.

“These roles require different strengths; she delivered many of them. Her institutional knowledge is deep, precise and consistently used to strengthen the organization around her,” Cantelmo said. “I can personally attest to her commitment to this community. She stepped into the city manager role during a period of transition and did so with the clear intention of stabilizing the organization and advancing its professional management. She gave everything she had to that responsibility. Deb’s record speaks for itself.”

sight of its mission as we face a possible buyout from a larger healthcare system or insurer.”

Dennis Trainor, CWA District 1 vice president, urged management to recognize the supermajority of nurses who declared to unionize.

“The Ithaca community and the dedicated nurses at Cayuga Medical Center deserve safe staffing,” Trainor said. “When we invest in our nurses, we are investing in the health of this community.”

– Ilshim

Legislature Codifies Permanent Chief Equity and Diversity Officer in County Charter

By Lorien Tyne

The Tompkins County Legislature amended the county charter at its Dec. 2 meeting to codify the position of Chief Equity and Diversity Officer (CEDO).

The legislature ultimately voted 8-5 in favor of adding language to the charter, permanently solidifying the position. Amending the charter requires a majority vote, which the legislature did not have until the end of an hour-long discussion when Legislator Randy Brown decided to change his position and vote in favor of the motion, giving the eighth vote needed to pass.

Legislator Dan Nolan was not present at the meeting and therefore did not vote. The five legislators who opposed the resolution were Mike Lane, Lee Shurtleff, Mike Sigler, Rich John and Dan Klein.

The county hired its first CEDO in 2020, Deanna Carrithers, who had a pivotal role in establishing the Community Justice Center and bringing forward the Reimagining Public Safety initiative. Carrithers stepped down in 2022 and in late 2023, Charlene Holmes filled the position.

While the two officers have focused on different initiatives, the overarching purpose of the CEDO is to lead diversity, equity, inclusion and justice initiatives within county government. Holmes’ last week in the role concluded with the GARE Local Convening, a conference for equity and inclusion practitioners, which she brought to Ithaca.

The search for a new CEDO was announced in October and the application period closed on Nov. 9. While the position of CEDO was created by the legislature in 2019, it has not been referenced in the Tompkins County Charter, while other members of the county’s permanent leadership team are.

Legislator Greg Mezey said that embedding the CEDO position in the chart will give the county’s equity work stability and leadership no matter who is in office or what the budget looks like.

“Without charter protection, years of progress can be rolled back quickly,” Mezey said. “Failing to include this position in the charter sends the message that this work is discretionary when we all know it's foundational. There is very little to

gain by leaving this role out of the charter, but there is a great deal to lose in terms of trust, stability, and long-term progress.”

Legislator Deborah Dawson said she was not on board at first because she thought the decision should be left to the incoming legislators, who will begin in January. She said she changed her mind, deciding to support the amendment, because many incoming legislators and current county staff have expressed their support for the position.

“Since the whole point of this was really for them, I would be hard pressed not to support it,” Dawson said. “ I think we need to acknowledge and be explicit about the fact that this isn't just about racial equity and racial diversity. [...] There's a whole universe of individual differences that diversity and inclusion account for and accommodate and that's what we want to do for our workforce.”

Some legislators criticized the position’s organizational placement and lack of structure. Lane said the position should be in the human resources department, while John said it should be completely independent like an ombudsperson.

John said he thinks the role is not well developed and needs clarification of responsibilities and authority, a point other legislators echoed. He said if the county wants to move forward with the position, a structure needs to be put in place so the CEDO works coherently with groups, such as the Office of Human Rights, the Human Rights Commission, the Community

UPS DOWNS&

Ups

PETA has named Ithaca’s Asempe Kitchen a winner of its Souper Vegan Awards for the restaurant’s acclaimed Nkatsi Froyi peanut stew.

Downs

The Tompkins County Continuum of Care (CoC) cautioned that newly imposed HUD rules, sharply limiting Housing First, harm-reduction practices, and equity-focused services, will likely reduce local homelessness funding and require major changes to local programs.

HEARD

SEEN&

Heard

The Ithaca Concert Band will present a free, family-friendly Holiday Concert featuring classic and contemporary seasonal favorites at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, in Ithaca College’s Ford Hall.

Seen

Justice Center, the Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Team JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion).

“We commit a tremendous amount of real money to real programs to help real people that are substantive that further exactly what we're talking about here tonight,” John said. “I'm not sure that we need the symbolism of putting this into the charter right now.”

Following six months of listening tours across county departments to collect feedback, Holmes led the publication of the county’s inaugural Institutionalizing Equity Report for 2025. The next CEDO will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the equity report and making continued improvements.

“I don't know who would possibly lead that effort other than a professional who is focused on that and in fact our most recent CEDO put a lot of work toward that end,” Legislator Veronica Pillar said. “What's missing without the CEDO, even with these other [departments and committees], is any experienced professional in the areas of institutional diversity and equity.”

Holmes also worked on the revised county Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy that was amended by the legislature in July.

Klein said he has not seen evidence that the CEDO position has improved DEI in the county workforce and therefore does not think placing the position in the charter

Patrick Harris, a nine-year Tompkins County Emergency Services Dispatcher, was honored as the APCO Atlantic Chapter’s 2025 Dispatcher of the Year, marking the department’s third win in four years.

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

Do you agree with the Lansing Town Board’s decision to withdraw the moratorium on development that would have delayed the data center?

care.

Do you agree with the Ithaca Common Council’s decision to ask for the resignation of City Manager Deb Mohlenhoff? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

Centralus Acquires Arleo Eye Associates

New Management at Tompkins Community Bank

Family-Owned Dispensary Opens in Trumansburg

Mother-Daughter Duo Open New Coffee Shop, Bakery in Newfield

By Philip O’Dell

Anew mother-and-daughter-owned shop has brought homemade baked goods and a sense of community back to Newfield with the opening of Morning Moon Coffee & Bakery last month.

Mother-daughter duo, Amy and Shea Heffron offer a full menu of food and beverages at their store located at 7 Bridge St. Items include their namesake coffee, iced coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos. Food selections include breakfast sandwiches served on a croissant, bagel, or biscuit, alongside daily toast options like avocado and peanut butter. The bakery case features staples such as plain, chocolate, and almond croissants, in addition to other homemade baked goods that rotate daily.

The coffee shop is open Monday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The launch of the coffee shop and bakery marks a return to the food industry for the Heffron family, who previously owned and operated The Covered Bridge Market. Shea’s father owned the market since he was 21, but the family sold the business during the first year of COVID-19 when their kitchen manager decided to take over. Amy proposed the idea for the new business.

“I was immediately on board with it. It just felt right,” Shea said. “It’s something that’s been missing here.”

Shea said Newfield has lacked a dedicated coffee shop, forcing residents who want coffee in the morning to drive to the nearest Dunkin’ location in Ithaca.

“For someone who lives locally, that’s an extra 10 to 20 minutes out of your way every morning if you live in Newfield,” she said.

Shea said keeping businesses and events within a small town is special. She

encourages residents to buy local to support their community in the same way she promotes Newfield’s school events.

“My mom cares about every person she serves,” Shea said. “She can’t give up cooking for people. It is her true passion.”

Underscoring the personal passion behind the local business, Heffron shared that her mother personally makes every single croissant and latte served at the shop.

“That’s why it’s special to shop local because it’s somebody’s passion, it’s not just a product,” she said.

The Heffron family’s culinary roots run deep in Tompkins County, as Amy’s grandfather, Joe, was the original owner of Joe’s Restaurant on Ithaca’s Meadow Street. The family is also related to the Lucatelli family who operated Lucatelli’s Ristorante, where Amy previously worked as a waitress.

Morning Moon Coffee & Bakery’s name is a tribute to the Heffrons’ late

Mother-daughter duo, Amy and Shea Heffron, offer a full menu of food and beverages at their new business, Morning Moon Coffee & Bakery, located at 7 Bridge St. in Newfield. (Photo: Provided)

friend, Carmen "Moon" Ciaschi, who died in 2024 at age 63. Ciaschi loved espresso so much that, while working at Lucatelli’s Ristorante, his co-workers often had to cut him off during his shift, Shea said. The name honors his memory and his love for the coffee they now serve.

Drawing on their family history in the local restaurant scene, the Heffrons plan to display framed original menus from the now-demolished Joe’s Restaurant in the vintage room of Morning Moon Coffee & Bakery.

Continued on Page 7

Business Briefs

Ithaca Beer Company Celebrates 27 Years of Quality Craft Beer at Anniversary Party

Ithaca, N.Y. — Ithaca Beer Company raised a pint to 27 years of craft brewing with an anniversary celebration at its Taproom on Thursday, December 4th, 2025. The event featured live local music by Pierce Walsh & Friends, limited beer releases, signature appetizers, raffle prizes benefiting Foodnet Meals on Wheels, and much more — all in honor of nearly three decades of brewing innovation and local pride.

Ithaca Beer Company first opened its doors in 1998 and has grown into one of New York’s leading craft breweries. Known for their flagship Flower Power IPA, they have continued to craft distinctive beers that embody quality and creativity. As they mark their 27th year, they took the time to celebrate the journey — and everyone who’s been part of it — with an evening of quality beer, great food, and community.

Arleo Eye Associates to Fully Integrate with Cayuga Health

ITHACA, NY — Centralus Health, an affiliation of Cayuga Health and Arnot Health, announces that, effective January 1, 2026 Arleo Eye Associates will fully integrate with Cayuga Health. Their new name is Centralus Health Eye Care. Locations, staff, phone and fax numbers all remain the same.

The practice will be closed from January 1, 2026, to January 3, 2026 to accommodate the conversion. The answering service will answer patient calls and alert staff to any urgent needs. Patients should plan ahead for prescription refills to prevent any lapse during this time. This transition will also bring a new

electronic medical record (EMR) system to Centralus Health Eye Care. Epic is a state-of-the-art EMR that allows patients to track their test results, make appointments and contact their providers, and connects the patient to the entire Centralus Health system of five hospitals and dozens of outpatient offices. Patients should bring their current insurance card and photo I.D. to the first appointment after the transition.

Should patients decide to change eye care providers, they will need to request a records transfer. To do so, please contact the office one of two ways:

Email: Medical_Records@cayugamedicalassociates.org to obtain a form, or Call: 607-277-2365 option 6 and the form will be mailed

The staff and providers are excited to fully integrate with Cayuga Health and continue their service to the community.

Ithaca Garden Club Brings Holiday Cheer to Cayuga Medical Center

ITHACA,

N.Y. (November 26, 2025) —

To kick off the holiday season, the Ithaca Garden Club has once again brought festive sparkle and cheer to Cayuga Medical Center.

Each year, the club partners with the CMC Foundation to transform hospital spaces into scenes of warmth and beauty for patients, visitors, and employees alike. The club has long been a devoted support of Centralus Health, from their joyful holiday décor to the planting of tens of thousands of daffodil bulbs that will bloom next spring on the CMC campus.

“The Ithaca Garden Club’s efforts truly brighten our campus and bring joy to everyone who passes through,” said Steph Bailey, Senior Director of Philanthropy. “We’re so grateful for their dedication and beauty they share with our patients and staff each holiday season.”

Founded in 1922, the Ithaca Garden Club is one of the oldest and largest garden clubs in New York State. Its mission is to “stimulate interest in gardening, floral arranging, landscaping, and enhancing our community’s appreciation for the natural beauty of Ithaca”.

Tompkins Community Bank Welcomes David Patz, Expands Commercial Lending Team

ITHACA,

NY (December 9, 2025) —

Growing its commercial lending team and expertise, Tompkins Community Bank (Tompkins) announced the addition of David Patz as a new commercial banking relationship manager in its Central New York market. Patz brings over two decades of excellence in advising clients on commercial lending, cash management, investments and risk management. In this role, Patz will advise Tompkins’ clients on growth strategies for both business and real estate.

“We’re excited to welcome David to our commercial lending team,” said John Huhtala, commercial banking regional manager for Tompkins in Central New York. “His deep expertise and commitment to building strong client relationships will undoubtedly make a difference for our clients as we work to equip them with the financial solutions they need to grow and succeed.”

Patz comes to Tompkins from Key Bank, where he served as a business banking relationship manager, working with companies with loan requests and revenues between $1 million and $30 million in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions. Patz’s experience also includes roles with the Small Business Development Center, NVP Associates, and U.S. Department of Treasury. He is a member of the Cornell Real Estate Council and the American Bankers Association.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO

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“We really wanted a space that reflected us and felt special,” Shea said.

Shea said Newfield deserves a new business with a calm atmosphere and allows people to grab a cup and relax for a while.

As a seventh-grade ELA teacher at Newfield Middle School, Shea has deep

Patz earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Ithaca College and a master’s degree in real estate from Cornell University. In addition to his professional work, he was a past board member at the Ithaca Community Childcare Center, Child Development Council and Commons Advisory Board. Patz currently resides in Ithaca, New York.

Royal Buds Holds Grand Opening in Trumansburg

Royal Buds, a local family-owned and operated cannabis dispensary, held its official Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, November 22 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at 5 Washington Street in Trumansburg. The event welcomed the community to explore the new dispensary and enjoy an afternoon filled with live music, a food truck offering local favorites, and exclusive brand feature stations that highlight highquality cannabis products from across New York State. The first fifty customers received complimentary swag bags filled with special products and merchandise.

Royal Buds was founded with a commitment to exceptional service, community partnership, and access to trusted cannabis products. The Grand Opening Celebration invited the public to learn more about the dispensary’s offerings while connecting with the team behind this new local business.

For more information about Royal Buds and upcoming events, contact the Royal Buds team at royalbudsllc@gmail. com or call Gayr at (607) 387-3966.

local ties; she did her student teaching with former eighth-grade teacher Laurie White and now teaches in White’s old classroom. To further cement the shop’s role as a community gathering space, the Heffrons plan to include a book nook where people can pick up free, donated books.

Additional information about Morning Moon Coffee & Bakery is available on its Facebook page.

SURROUNDED

Flying the Friendly Skies

By Charley Githler

Acouple of weeks ago, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced an airport “civility campaign” to restore “courtesy and class to air travel”. The campaign is entitled “The Golden Age of Travel Starts With You”. “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport,” he admonished, further urging people to say “please” and “thank you”, and to consider the question “are you dressing with respect?” Steeped as the secretary is in weeks of experience in national transportation policy, to me his words had the ring of a call to action. It's long been established that anyone elevated to a cabinet position must know what they’re talking about. And I’ve seen the pictures from the olden days — men in suits and women in cocktail dresses relaxing in spacious, overstuffed airplane seats while smiling stewardesses serve free beef stroganoff, deviled eggs and savory jello salads on fine china. Whatever, the cuisine of the 1950s was pretty dire but the elegance was real, and there did seem to be ample free cocktails available.

I did wonder how Secretary Duffy had gotten the airlines on board with all the rules and the civility and whatnot, but I reasoned that any administration that could squeeze $60 million out of Cornell University would have no trouble inducing United Airlines to treat passengers like actual people.

As luck would have it, I was already scheduled to fly from Syracuse to Denver last week. My excitement, at the prospect of a day of courtesy, manners, and comfort was shared by nobody else. Friends warned me to temper my expectations, and my kids rolled their eyes. Never one to heed the naysayers, I dusted off my gray suit, white oxford shirt, a muted paisley tie and my only pair of dress shoes. With a little Brylcreem and a better shave I might have passed unnoticed as a passenger in 1957. Being a retired public school teacher, the fancier features of air travel are beyond my reach. Not for me the Admirals Club or the Premium Lounge. I wait with the rest of the huddled, yearning masses for the announcement that the last, least-desirable seating class may now file onto the plane, clutching our miserable carry-on bindles ($35 for the privilege), and suffer the distaste radiating from first class passengers forced to temporarily endure our presence.

Still, Secretary Duffy made no class distinction in his instructions. Refinement and dignity sounded like it would be available to one and all.

I suppose I don’t need to say that I was disappointed. First, nobody else dressed for the occasion. It was almost as if the direct orders of the Secretary of Transportation were being ignored. With a frequency that defies statistical probability, my ‘randomly-assigned’ seat has historically been a middle seat and this flight was no exception. The seat itself, designed to accommodate a person exactly half my dimensions or a medium-sized dog, could have been appropriately displayed in a museum of medieval torture devices. I exaggerate, of course. I was actually able to move almost an inch in some directions. There were snacks. I was offered the choice of either a plastic bag containing four nickel-sized pretzels or something called a ‘stroopwafel’, which resembled what a small cruller might look like if it had been run over by a new snow tire. There was also 1/3 of a bottle of water rationed out as if we were being chased by Rommel’s army across North Africa and supplies were running low.

I resolved to occupy my mind with some math for the next four hours. Given that there are 136 cubic meters of air volume sealed in the cabin of a Boeing 737 Max 8 airplane, and knowing that each of the 168 passengers and crew experience an average of 14 incidents of flatulence per day (which translates to 2.3 incidents in a four-hour flight), I had just about worked out that by the end of the trip, 35 of those 136 cubic meters of air would have been irretrievably fouled by the time we were scheduled to land in Denver. Unfortunately, my train of thought was interrupted by turbulence over Nebraska, and my thoughts drifted to the topic of metal fatigue until we were safely on the ground. It’s been nine days, and I’m optimistic that I’ll regain some feeling in my legs soon, though I’ll have to learn to walk again. I suspect it may have been a cruel joke. There was no courtesy, no class, no Golden Age. My outfit is already laid out for the next airborne adventure: pajama bottoms, crocs, and a Budweiser hoodie. I’ll dress up when I see Sean Duffy gnawing on a stale stroopwafel in a middle seat.

ITHACA

Driven Snow

By Stephen Burke

At food stores it was bumper cars outside and bumper carts inside with this season’s first snowfall.

Something about the season’s premiere unnerves people. It was not a particularly fierce storm in Ithaca, with only a few inches of snow and no brutal winds or cold.

Still, panicky people went scurrying for supplies, driving heedlessly for reasons not especially valid. The main danger in such situations is less the condition of the weather than that of the drivers.

In Ithaca you might blame drivers who are new to driving, with all the youthful youngsters from the colleges, or new to driving in snow. Cornell says it has students from every nation in the world. The Encyclopedia Britannica says 77 percent of the world does not get snow.

You can cite these drivers, or blame them if they don’t recognize their inexperience and drive carefully in unfamiliar circumstances, but the ones really to finger (so to speak) are those who should know better: who have lived here awhile, and for instance should know to slow down in the supermarket parking lot, which although asphalt is not a street, and people walk through it relatively unguardedly, as they should be able to do. Meanwhile, drivers are speeding around, homicidally mad at all those people in their way, taking up parking spots and making it hard to find a good one.

Personally, despite the lack of severity I found in this storm, I wasn’t going to drive any more than I had to. Since it was the first one, I knew from experience it would be perilous, or at least wacky.

But I did go out and clean snow off my car, and clear it out of the spot where a snow plow had blocked it in some. As everyone knows, such an operation is best performed sooner rather than later. It’s more difficult the longer you wait.

It’s also important to do, for me, for my mental yearbook chronicling winter weather conditions. Statistically, for my almanac, a car dig-out has to take at least 15 minutes for a snowfall to be considered big. It has to happen at least twice a month for the winter to be considered bad.

So if someone says last winter was tough, I will say not really, there were only three or so big dig-outs, in my memory (I don’t actually record them in a book).

That means this wasn’t a serious storm. My car clean-up took only five minutes. It involved just a broom, no shovel. I rocked right out of there on good tires and relocated the car to a clearer spot.

Downstate New Yorkers think of upstate as the Yukon, but that’s because on the news they see travesties in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, which get wicked lake effect snow from Lakes Erie and Ontario. Clouds moving east pick up vapor from the air over the lakes, which is warmer than air over land, and when they move over land again the vast accumulation freezes and falls.

On Black Friday, four days before the storm that reached Ithaca, Syracuse got a preview: 10 inches of snow. In Ithaca that Friday, light snow swirled around a bit. Nothing stuck. A friend and I took a 5-mile walk on Ithaca’s Waterfront Trail. No one in Syracuse walked anywhere.

People everywhere think their municipality is the world’s worst at dealing with snow storms. But Ithaca does a better job than other places I’ve lived. Before I moved here I lived for a decade in Washington, D.C., which gets little or no snowfall most years, but one winter got a big surprise blizzard. The city had five snowplows, which had been idle for years and were way fewer than needed, but better than nothing, until the city realized that in the midst of a fiscal crisis it had laid off the workers who could drive them.

Residents had to shovel not just the sidewalks, which is normal, but the streets, which is not. There are a lot of streets in D.C. Many D.C. residents don’t own shovels (I didn’t).

If you are new to Ithaca, or just forgetful, you might be unaware that the city has odd-even parking regulations during emergencies such as blizzards. I don’t know how the city determines and announces emergencies. Personally I will count on using common sense, which of course is helpful in all seasons.

Listening in Small Rooms: A New Way to Shape Ithaca’s Future

By Roy Allen, Director of Strategic Partnerships — Ithaca Times, Finger Lakes Community Newspapers, www.ithaca.com

In Ithaca and across Tompkins County, many of us are already having conversations in our about housing that feels out of reach, about families quietly navigating food insecurity, about kids and teens facing growing mental-health pressures, and about the stability of a local economy that affects how we plan for the future. These aren’t distant policy debates; they shape our commutes, our childcare options, our tuition payments, our ability to stay active and connected, and the choices our young people have as they imagine adulthood.

Yet the spaces where our community is supposed to talk about these issues often miss the mark. Large public meetings can feel overwhelming or dominated by the loudest voices. Online conversations rarely leave anyone feeling more connected. And while traditional forums have value, they don’t always create the kind of trust or depth that allows people to speak honestly about their experiences—whether you’re a 20-year-old student balancing studies and rent, a parent juggling multiple jobs, a sports fan who knows how teamwork solves problems, or a retiree who has seen the community evolve over decades.

That’s why Pathways to Equity, the nonprofit parent of this newspaper, is launching the Secret Salon Series —a solutions-oriented model for community members to come together, slow down, and think collectively about the issues shaping our region. Each month, up to 35 participants will gather in a warm, intimate setting to hear from a local expert and engage in a thoughtful, solutions-focused conversation. The location is revealed only after registration, keeping the experience small, intentional, and—yes—a little bit magical. Depending on the number of sign-ups, we may use a

lottery system or blind drawing to ensure that as many diverse voices as possible are included and heard—students, professionals, retirees, parents, athletes, artists, and everyone in between.

The idea of a “secret salon” may sound playful, but the tradition behind it is centuries old. Historically, salons were hosted mostly by women whose homes became intellectual hubs—places where thinkers, artists, and activists challenged old assumptions and sparked new ideas. Today, that same spirit is deeply needed in America: a setting where people can meet eye-to-eye, free from the posturing of formal events, to explore difficult questions with curiosity instead of confrontation.

Each salon will focus on a single theme: housing stability, food security, local economic development, mental health, education, arts and entertainment, media literacy, or other pressing topics identified by the community. A local expert will open the evening with a short talk. But the heart of the event is not the presentation; it’s the dialogue. Participants will be encouraged to ask questions, share stories, widen perspectives, and imagine what a healthier, more equitable Ithaca could look like. Summaries of the salons will be published in the Ithaca Times so our readers can learn more about what their neighbors think and why.

At Pathways to Equity and the Ithaca Times, we believe meaningful change often begins in spaces where people feel comfortable enough to be candid and bold enough to envision something better. That’s why these salons emphasize listening—not as a passive act, but as a powerful tool for community building. When people feel genuinely heard, they collaborate more openly. When they collaborate, fresh ideas emerge. And when new ideas emerge, entire communities become more resilient.

Why now? Because life in Tompkins County is always shifting, and the pace

Don’t Let Ithaca Lose Its Storytellers

Imagine the sharpest, most passionate young journalists you’ve ever met (the ones who stay late chasing a story because they believe in this town) slowly packing their bags. Not because they want to leave… but because local rents force them out.

That’s the quiet heartbreak happening right now. Our best new writers, the ones who grew up here or fell in love with Ithaca in college, are being pushed toward cheaper cities just to survive.

The Rising Star Fund rewrites their story into a happy ending by sponsoring a simple monthly housing stipend (a hand up, never a handout) so they can keep living here, keep writing here, keep falling deeper in love with Ithaca… and keep telling the stories that make this city our home.

When a young journalist can afford to stay in Ithaca, you get:

● Fresh, fearless voices loyal to your local paper

● Someone at every city council meeting who believes local news matters

● The next great Ithaca story written by someone who actually lives here

● Your $25, $50, or $100 a month doesn’t just pay their rent.

● It keeps storytellers in our community and stops local brain drain.

● When our younger generation thrives, Ithaca’s future stays bright.

Keep local talent in Ithaca by donating today to the Rising Star Fund (an initiative of Pathways to Equity, Inc a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization)

For more info: roy@ithacatimes.com

The Talk at

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Watershed and The Downstairs Set to Close

“This is awful, depressing news. As older people, my spouse and I found the Watershed to be the only truly welcoming place in Ithaca for a drink and conversation. We enjoyed the events at the Downstairs. The owner’s statements about the economics of Ithaca are only too true. At this point, if there were a more enlightened place than Ithaca (economically) to live I would want to move there, but I know there is not. I am thankful that we had the Watershed, and hope that somehow a similar venue can establish itself in the future. Best of luck to Ashley Cake.” — David Regenspan

Lansing Abandons Moratorium That Would Have Stopped Data Center

“The Town Board seems to be doing a nonexistent job of explaining their vote—before people even got a chance to discuss the project—when there is such

overwhelming opposition to the project. I would hope it was not that the board members were paid off, but they would do well to explain why they are setting themselves in opposition to what appears to be the majority of the town. Essentially, it feels like we are now going to be run, as a town, by a corporation that cares nothing for the town and only for its own profit. I hope I’m wrong.” — Robert Sternberg

Figure Out How to Operate Supportive Housing Before Starting More

“Until Asteri is running smoothly, it doesn’t make sense to start another supportive housing program. It’s one thing to “support” recently unhoused people in an appropriate setting with the necessary resources. But reintegration without rehabilitation is a disservice to the participants and a punishment of the community. Focus on affordability first and supportive services as a separate strategy. Housing alone doesn't address addiction and mental illness. The city shouldn’t pursue half-assed supportive services as a package deal for affordable housing.” — Eric Nord Why

Doesn’t Ithaca College Contribute to TCAT?

“Why doesn’t Ithaca College contribute to TCAT? TCAT serves IC directly, looping from through the 96B and

Grant Egbert Drive entrances and through the college. The IC community could greatly benefit from a new TCAT loop around its campus community going from the NYS 96B entrance up NYS 96B to E. King Rd. then to Troy Rd. then to Coddington Rd. then to the Grant Egbert Drive entrance. Why is this never mentioned?” — Jim Semp

2026 SAGES Advancement in Agricultural Studies Scholarship Applications Open

“The Student Association of the Geneva Experiment Station (SAGES) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Advancement in Agricultural Studies Scholarship. Members of SAGES include graduate students, postdoctoral associates, and research technicians at Cornell Agritech (formerly NYS Agricultural Experiment Station). The Advancement in Agricultural Studies Scholarship was established as a way to give back to local communities, help support interest in agricultural studies, and nurture future professionals. SAGES established this scholarship in 2009, and since then has awarded

LEGISLATURE CODIFIES PERMANENT CHIEF EQUITY

continued from page 5

will make county government more diverse, equitable, or inclusive.

“The president has taken the stance that anywhere the term DEI appears, it must be eliminated and I do not agree with that stance,” Klein said. “However, I feel that some people here have taken the opposite position: Anytime the term DEI appears,

$19,250 to local high school seniors who have shown leadership in the classroom, in their communities, and who have expressed a desire to pursue higher education in agriculture-related fields of study.

SAGES hopes to build upon this legacy by offering a $750 scholarship for up to 2 deserving students from the Class of 2025.

The scholarship committee will accept applications from graduating seniors. Eligible applicants must be residents or attend high school in the following counties: Ontario, Yates, Seneca, Tompkins, Cayuga, Schuyler, and Wayne.

Successful applicants must be graduating high school seniors who intend to enroll in a 2 or 4-year degree program in the agricultural sciences or an agriculturally-related field (examples are listed on the application). Eligible students can obtain application materials by emailing the chair of the SAGES Scholarship Committee, Allison Jane Hamilton (ajh382@ cornell.edu), or from their high school guidance counselor. Applications are due by April 15, 2026 and winner(s) will be notified by the end of May.” — Jane Hamilton

it is sacred and should not be examined or questioned or discussed. And I do not support that stance, either.”

As each of the legislators shared their stances, those advocating for the resolution began to express disappointment in the amount of pushback, urging at least one other legislator to change their vote.

“There’s more scrutiny over this position than any position that I have seen in my eight years,” Legislator Anne Koreman said. “It is really upsetting to me. I don’t know how else to describe it except it’s a prejudice in itself.”

“Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. Reading shaped my

dreams, and more reading helped me make my dreams come true.”

—

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Former Big Red Athletes Take the Lead as Cornell Coaches

By Steve Lawrence

At Lynah Rink, a friend asked me if I thought Casey Jones was a good choice to succeed Mike Schafer, and if I remembered watching Jones play for the Big Red. After all, it was 35 years ago. I replied that it was indeed a good choice, and that I did remember watching Jones play. In fact, I added, I remember watching Schafer play 43 years ago.

We had a conversation about how much fun it is to watch former Big Red athletes become head coaches, and the farther down the list we got, the more I realized that I have seen a lot in my 10 years as a Cornell Athletics staffer and my 34 years as the sports guy for the Ithaca Times. The list looks something like this:

I remember when Jenny Graap came in as a freshman lacrosse (and field hockey) player in 1982, and now — 43 years later — she will be entering her 29th season as the lacrosse team’s head coach. She and Schafer are of the same vintage, and since

his retirement, Jenny has become my Elder Statesperson in terms of coaches’ tenures.

Doug Derraugh was a co-captain for the men’s hockey team in 1991, went on to play 13 years of pro hockey in Europe, and is coming up on 20 seasons as the coach of the Big Red women’s hockey team. Doug has built the program into one the nation's elite by any measure.

I met Mike Huyghue in 1982, when he was a standout wide receiver for the Big Red, and it was fun to watch him make his mark in pro football — as an executive, a General Manager and an agent. Huyghue just wrapped up his second season as the head coach of the Sprint Football team.

Jon Jacques — now the head coach of the men's basketball team — was part of some of the most exciting moments I have witnessed in my 44 years as an observer of Cornell sports. Jon was a co-captain — and a lethal sharpshooter — on the 2010 team that won its third straight Ivy title, beat Temple in Round 1 of the Big Dance, and then — this still seems like a hoop dream — took

down the mighty Wisconsin to advance to the Sweet 16. Jacques has every intention of returning Cornell to those heights. Given he graduated a mere decade ago, Connor Buczek seems on a fast track

to Big Red immortality. A three-time All American as a lacrosse player and an All Star as a professional, Buczek took over

High Income Opportunity – Media Sales Consultants Wanted!

A Holistic Approach to Wellness

How people choose to spend their free time varies.

At the William George Agency for Children’s Services (WGA), young people have access to exceptional recreational facilities and are encouraged to use them daily.

“A teenager’s body is continually growing. We offer a variety of activities that engage their whole self. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. Everybody has preferences. Some youth like team-oriented, courtbased games. Others like to do puzzles. Some use their Rec. time creating music or learning to sew. Others might like to swim,” says Laurene Payton, B.S.E., Director of Recreation and Campus Activities at WGA.

Payton has worked at WGA for almost 30 years. In that time, she’s become quite good at motivating adolescent youth to try activities they might initially avoid. The goal is to engage youth with as many healthy activities as possible, that will aid their physical and mental growth in the moment and throughout their lifetime.

“Many young people we work with struggle with trauma-related selfesteem issues, anger, and anxiety. One of the rewarding parts of my job is watching them mature and make decisions to replace unwholesome coping behaviors, like vaping, with healthier alternatives, like strength training,” she says. “We want youth to take advantage of all our amenities while they are with us so that they can become more aware of the safer activities they can seek out when they return to their community.”

There are several recreational areas around campus that give youth dedicated space for activities that can increase their wellbeing, lessen anxiety and lift their mood. A popular space is the Music Studio, where they can write and record their own songs. This activity helps them get in touch with their feelings and process trauma. An indoor Adventure-based Ropes Course is designed to enhance overall trust with peers and adults and helps with goal setting and self-esteem building. At the Rec. Lounge, youth can play board games and participate in therapeutic arts and crafts activities. Those aiming to improve their physical fitness can swim in an indoor Olympic size pool or visit the weight training fitness center that opened in the fall of 2024 thanks to funding from a bequest. Payton says the center has been a big hit with

youth and that one quarter of the campus has been signing up to use it regularly.

Always looking to improve, Payton appreciates feedback on recreational activities at WGA.

Martin* recently shared that he has, “learned how to do healthy things with peers. Play basketball and workout. I gained 15 pounds of muscle from working out and made a lot of friends in the weight room and gym. Playing basketball at Rec. made me want to join the team and I MADE IT!"

Adam* says, “when I first got here I did not know how to swim but now I do, so thank you for that because now I'm very good at swimming. I also got over my fear of heights at the Ropes Course program.”

One of the most popular activities that Payton coordinates at WGA is Olympic Days. The tradition was created in 1994 by a former director of the Recreation Department and has grown from one day into three. Individuals receive medals for gold, silver and bronze place and for Outstanding Sportsmanship. Everyone attends a celebratory barbeque at the end.

“There’s something for everybody. If running isn’t your thing, you can do the canoe race on our pond. Don’t like to canoe? You can participate in the swim relay or climbing wall challenge. It really brings the kids and staff together and creates fellowship and fun memories.” Other well-liked activities include movie nights under the outdoor pavilion and the campus-wide Mud Run.

“Ours is a holistic and varied recreation program that enhances the therapeutic process. Activities are designed to help youth be physically fit, mentally strong, reduce stress, and increase feelings of belonging, confidence, mastery and enjoyment,” says Helen M. Hulings, Executive Director at The William George Agency.

The William George Agency for Children’s Services is committed to providing a safe and caring residential environment supported by proven, therapeutic, clinical and medical care for at-risk youth. For more information, visit their website: www.wgaforchildren.org. *names changed to protect privacy.

Emergency Services in Crisis

As EMS struggles continue, providers push for increased county support

By Lorien Tyne

In New York state, municipalities are not legally required to provide emergency medical services (EMS), as they are not considered essential services. Many factors, including rising populations, call volumes and service costs have put the EMS system in crisis. Without more support at the county and state level, the long-term stability and quality of emergency care is at risk.

Tompkins County’s decentralized EMS system began with Ithaca’s Bangs Ambulance in 1945 and grew as a few towns saw a need for additional service in their area. There are now four EMS providers responding to calls within Tompkins, helping neighboring counties and providing inter-hospital transportation.

The village of Trumansburg operates Trumansburg EMS, which contracts its service with the town of Ulysses, the town of Covert in Seneca County, and parts of the town of Hector in Schuyler County.

Previously part of the Dryden Fire Department until 1991, Dryden Ambulance, Inc. is a nonprofit company that contracts its services to the town of Dryden, the town of Harford in Cortland County and part of the town of Virgil in Cortland County.

The town and village of Groton have a combined fire department and ambulance that provides services to Groton residents. The Ithaca Times did not receive a response from Groton ambulance prior to publication.

Bangs Ambulance is a private, familyowned, for-profit company that primarily covers the town and city of Ithaca and the towns of Lansing, Enfield, Newfield, Slaterville and Danby. Its management says that while Bangs encounters issues similar to other EMS providers, it also navigates being a private company that does not receive any municipal support.

While each provider varies in organizational structure and jurisdiction, the issues they face are local examples of a state and nationwide EMS struggle.

MUTUAL AID CALLS

Most providers respond to calls outside their service area, referred to as mutual aid

A map of Tompkins County showing the areas of coverage that each transporting ambulance agency services. Towns outside the county that contract with these EMS providers are not depicted on this map.

calls. The New York State Department of Health’s (DOH) EMS policy states that mutual aid support is meant to be an occasional occurrence to “meet peak demand or extraordinary resource utilization” but is not intended to “substitute for an EMS agency’s continued, routine, ongoing or frequent inability to provide EMS response when requested or dispatched[…]”

Mutual aid calls make up 29% of Dryden Ambulance’s total 1,579 responses in 2025, according to Dryden Ambulance’s management. While other providers have fewer mutual aid calls, it places a significant strain on resources by frequently taking ambulances out of their intended coverage area.

Bill Ackroyd, chair of Dryden Ambulance’s board of directors, said Dryden receives daily requests for mutual aid, sometimes taking both of Dryden’s two ambulances out of the area at once. He said that all agencies providing emergency services are struggling with resources, and mutual aid is important. He added that while Dryden wants to take care of anyone who needs help, the strain on local resources is risky.

“We all want to help and that’s what we’re here for,” Ackroyd said. “However, there

comes a point in time where I can’t take care of my own people if I’m out taking care of everybody else’s.”

Bangs Ambulance also juggles mutual aid calls, although its service area is significantly larger and its call volume is higher. So far in 2025, Bangs has responded to 11,294 total calls, of which 214 (1.9%)were mutual aid calls, according to Bangs’ management.

Meghan Bangs, EMT and human resource manager for Bangs Ambulance, said there is only so much call volume Bangs can handle with the resources it has. Its yearly call average is about 12,000, Dryden’s is 2,500, Trumansburg’s is 1,000 and Groton’s is 700, according to a 2025 county EMS report.

“They’re [other agencies] frustrated that they have to come outside their coverage area to cover a private ambulance’s coverage area,” Meghan said. “But the reality is that we’re handling so much of that volume, and we’re not receiving anything to do so.”

HOSPITAL TRANSPORTS

While EMS providers are spread thin with 911 calls, they also take on calls from nearby hospitals for interfacility transports.

Maggie Barnes, assistant director of communications for Centralus Health, said Cayuga Medical Center (CMC), like all hospitals, has to transfer patients for services not provided on site. For CMC, examples of these treatments are pediatrics, trauma and cardiothoracic surgery.

Whether it is Bangs Ambulance transporting patients for CMC or TLC EMS transporting patients for Guthrie Cortland Medical Center, Ackroyd said Dryden covers mutual aid calls when other EMS agencies are occupied with transports.

Bangs Ambulance is Cayuga Medical Center’s (CMC) most frequently used transporting agency but also receives transports from multiple agencies, including Centralus’ EMS company. Bangs receives all requests from CMC first. If Bangs declines the transport, the request goes to Centralus’ ambulances and so forth down a list of EMS providers in the region.

“Ambulance companies typically have protocols for accepting interfacility transfers that takes their ability to respond to 911 calls into account,” Barnes said when asked what impact the transports have on the ability for EMS to be available for local calls.

CMC receives transfer patients from Schuyler Hospital most often but also from Cortland, Watertown, and other hospitals. CMC transfers patients most often to Centralus Health affiliate Arnot Ogden Medical Center, SUNY Upstate, Strong Memorial, Guthrie Robert Packer and Rochester General Hospital.

CMC declined to provide data regarding the total number of interfacility transports and how many are conducted by Centralus’ EMS company because it is “proprietary business data.”

Meghan said that providing interfacility transports for hospital patients can be more financially predictable because insurance coverage can be clearer. Interfacility transports might allow the transporting agency to recoup more than a 911 call but it still doesn’t cover the full service cost to the agency or the opportunity cost during longdistance transports.

“If we don’t have a trip on the road already, we will try to accommodate whatever patients they need to get moved around, but typically we can only allocate one of our ambulances at a time to be on the road transporting patients out of CMC,” Meghan said. “Which means that we’re taking that ambulance out of service and not being able to use it within the Tompkins County 911 system.”

FUNDING & RISING COSTS

Municipalities are having to allocate more in their yearly budgets to EMS, increasing taxes for residents and thinning their overall resources. This is necessitated by rising costs to provide the service and only recouping a fraction of the bill from insurance companies.

Trumansburg’s total EMS budget is about $1 million, which village mayor Rordan Hart said has grown by 11% each year since 2011. Ulysses’ contract bill with Trumansburg — a third of the total cost split with Trumansburg, Ulysses, Covert and Hector — has increased by more than $200,000 since 2015. Dryden Ambulance’s budget for 2025 is $1.8 million, about $600,000 more than its budget in 2020. This financial trend in Tompkins County is not unique; on average, EMS budgets have more than doubled within a decade, according to a 2024 state comptroller report.

“I expect that the cost will continue to go up at roughly the rate they’ve been going up,” Hart said. “It’s not like it’s just a two or three year phenomenon. We have a couple of decades of reliable information now. When will it be too much for the taxpayer? I don’t know.”

Meghan said that all ambulances have a bill rate for either basic life support ambulance transport or an advanced life support transport. Then, there is a secondary charge that bills for the number of miles the ambulance transported the patient. Meghan said Bangs’ mileage charge is $35 per mile, which Medicare pays $9 of and Medicaid pays $3 of.

ance as town ambulances, it has never received financial support from municipalities or contracted its services like publicly supported EMS do.

“Because we respond to every call regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, we also write off a substantial amount of uncompensated or under-compensated care each year,” Meghan said. As a result, ‘profit’ in EMS is not what most people imagine. Any modest surplus we generate is immediately reinvested back into the operation to ensure the community continues to receive highquality care.”

COUNTY SUPPORT AND CONTINUED INVOLVEMENT

In June, the New York State Assembly and Senate passed through a bill that would direct counties to develop and maintain a comprehensive county emergency medical system plan in collaboration with municipalities. That bill, along with another that would exclude EMS costs from municipal tax caps, is now awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision.

While a mandated countywide EMS plan would increase county involvement and coordination, the legislation would not designate EMS as an essential service that the county is legally required to provide. Local elected officials and EMS providers all agree EMS needs more support and resources, but they have varying ideas of what county involvement would be most beneficial.

Tompkins County hired CGR, a research consulting company, to evaluate the county’s EMS transporting agencies and the

prove information sharing and 911 dispatch coordination. Other more expensive suggestions regarded expanding the county’s Rapid Medical Response (RMR) program.

The RMR two-year pilot program was launched in 2024 with the goal of reducing EMS response times to rural areas in the county. The county decided to continue the program and allocated $384,482 to RMR in its 2026 budget along with $300,000 from the DOH that was awarded in 2024 but has not yet been received. The program’s three vehicles respond to calls but are not qualified to transport people to the hospital.

CGR’s report suggested expanding RMR’s capabilities to allow town ambulances to stay in their coverage areas.

Hart and Ackroyd agreed the RMR program has helped and that the best scenario would be that the county invests in a solution — RMR or otherwise — that allows the current EMS to stay in their coverage areas with fewer mutual aid calls.

“We’re willing to help, but we can’t continually empty our station to help. We’ve been lucky that we haven’t had both of our ambulances tied up somewhere else and have someone seriously hurt, sick or dying in Dryden. It’s like Russian Roulette. You never know.”

— Bill Ackroyd, chair of Dryden Ambulance’s board of directors

“The system is structured so that nearly all types of calls at best cover costs and at worst operate at a loss,” Meghan said. “The main goal is continuity of service rather than profit maximization.”

Meghan said Bangs’ for-profit status creates a misunderstanding that the company is making money from responding to emergencies. She said that while Bangs experiences the same high operational demands and recoups the same amount from insur-

RMR program. CGR began its process in July and presented its findings to the county’s public safety committee in October. The report will be presented again at TCCOGS’s Dec. 11 meeting.

The report, presented by CGR Principal Paul Bishop, said the region lacks sufficient EMT and paramedic training options and that generally EMS in the county is not a cohesive system of care. Bishop outlined simpler suggestions, such as better triaging of calls and contracting with Bangs to im-

While Hart said RMR has helped Trumansburg EMS respond to fewer calls where transport wasn’t needed, Ackroyd said RMR has not reduced Dryden’s mutual aid calls, which is a priority.

Hart said he believes the best solution would be to have a county EMS service that operates similarly to the county sheriff’s office; municipalities can choose to have their own additional service but the county service gives enough support that they can stay in their home district.

“Instead of having these four agencies constantly overlapping each other, you have population centers well provided for, with an emergency service and the county be-

ing the catch all for anything that might slip through the cracks,” Hart said.

Meghan said the RMR program is beneficial in some circumstances to get to the scene quicker, but that ambulances are almost always still needed and the county should bolster preexisting services like Bangs.

“Our exact frustration is that they’re sort of duplicating a service that already exists and that we have been providing since 1945,” Meghan said. “They [county and towns] don’t really want to entertain the idea of contracting to pay for a service when they’re currently getting it for free, and when it would mean paying a private ambulance company to provide that service.”

RMR has a yearly average of about 1,400 responses to calls, according to CGR data, but most of those calls are also responding with a transporting ambulance, unless an RMR crew cancels the transport request. If RMR could transport patients, or if the county financed three additional ambulances within existing EMS agencies, those 1,400 calls would only need one agency to respond. While Bishop recommended expanding the RMR program, he said having four or five more employees who are paid at a civil service level with benefits might have negative side effects for existing providers.

“That’s hard for a commercial ambulance provider or even one of the smaller town ambulances to compete with,” Bishop said. “It’s going to disrupt the labor pool if and when you do this. It still might be the right thing for the county to do but you have to understand that that happens.”

Meghan said that a county EMS system where private and nonprofit services are contracted collaboratively would be ideal

Kitchen Theatre Delivers Holiday Spirit and Christmas Cheer in “Reindeer Sessions”

By Barbara Adams

Observing Christmas is about celebrating a birth, the hopeful beginning of a long redemption story. And unsurprisingly, that’s just what the Kitchen Theatre Company’s seasonal production, “Reindeer Sessions,” is about as well. In the most unlikely of settings — the reindeer Blitzen submitting to therapy in order to keep his job — Cuban American playwright Eric Ulloa explores personal recovery, for both client and therapist alike.

And as a bonus, the uplifting theme comes via a wild ride — a hysterically funny comedy that’s part play, part holiday party — with food and drinks before each show setting the merry mood.

Whether you’re feeling holiday stress or the gloom of global events, an hour and a half of nonstop laughter will boost your spirits. Comic virtuosity is guaranteed with the inspired team of Rachel Lampert expertly directing, Karl Gregory as the volatile Blitzen, and Erica Steinhagen as his insightful therapist. (If you’re lucky, you’ve seen these two much-cherished actors paired here before — in “What the Constitution Means to Me,” “The Ding Dongs,” and “Hand to God.”)

Dr. Arbor, being human, has some issues of her own, as we discover in a (somewhat overly long) opening scene with her analyst: She’s still chafing over the schoolmate who first told her there was no Santa Claus. The premise here is that he does in fact exist, and Kris Kringle Enterprises fulfills all the expected roles, right down to consuming the milk and cookies — but once you tell your child there’s no Santa, the contract with KKE is irrevocably canceled.

Given Arbor’s beliefs, she’s perfectly ready to counsel a Santa-employed reindeer, and over the next few weeks the sessions lead them both into new territory.

“Reindeer Sessions,”

by

At the Kitchen Theatre, 417 W. State St., Ithaca.

Performances Wednesday through Sunday Dec. 10-13 at 6:30 p.m., with 1:30 p.m. matinees on Dec. 11 and 14.

Plus one added performance on Dec. 14, 7:00 p.m.

Tickets at 607-272-0570 or kitchentheatre.org/tickets

“Reindeer Sessions” brings humor and heart to the stage at Kitchen Theatre Company. (Photo: Rachel Phillipson/Provided)

Designer Tyler M. Perry’s environment provides the one you wish your own therapist had. The forest-green paneled office with colorful child’s drawings and a butterscotch couch is comforting and cozy, inviting intimacy. Perry’s lighting also provides some of that sparkling Christmas magic in the show’s final moments.

Lisa Boquist’s flawless costumes complete the picture: Both professional and elegant in attire, Arbor exudes a therapist’s measured distance. Gregory’s Blitzen, in knit cap with antlers, sports a classic stubble and casual winter wear, conveying rough disarray.

At the outset, Blitzen is a careening wreck — angry, coarse, impulsive, he’s tinder about to set himself on fire. A series of poor alcohol-fueled choices have brought him to this last chance to stay on Santa’s A-team, and Dr. Arbor, like many a therapist, faces a highly resistant client.

Gradually the childhood story leaks out: his early talent and desire to be an artist, his father’s pushing him to the more athletic KK team honor, his brother’s sad path. Then there’s Rudolph, a terrified newbie, getting all the fame and credit for that much-storied foggy night. Not to mention Blitzen’s boyfriend recently dumping him. (This is only the second production of “Reindeer Sessions,” and the first LGBTQ version. On Blitzen!)

One of the pleasures of a Kitchen show is your proximity to the actors, and here, it’s wonderful to see every nuance of characterization. Steinhagen necessarily has to be the more composed and subtle (until she too is at the end of her tether), whereas Gregory, the tough guy temporarily deprived of his beer and cigs, is deliciously over the top. He’s sarcastic, sullen, vulgar, combative, and defensive — from his eyerolls right down to his sloppy stance.

But as the therapeutic process develops, Gregory’s Blitzen starts to reveal all the sympathetic aspects of this bad boy. With his complexities unfolding, you experience authentic empathy (wait, I’m feeling fond of a make-believe reindeer?). Meanwhile, Steinhagen’s character begins to respond to her trigger points, until … No spoilers here, but get ready for astonishing stage combat, role reversals, and some major breakthroughs.

The absurd but delightful script and brilliant comic acting add up to an evening’s great entertainment — as well as the tale we all need right now: one of renewal, healing, and yes, even belief.

Barbara Adams is a regional theatre and arts journalist and retired professor of writing, Ithaca College.

Arts & Entertainment

At Bob’s Diner, the Birds Are the Regulars

By Steve Lawrence

Ihave reached an age at which I have a lot of discussions about retirement. Some of my friends say they plan to keep working — out of necessity or their passion for their job — and some say they’d like to travel to the far corners of the world. That experience, they say,

might give them the inspiration and the material to write a book.

For Bob Riter of Ithaca, the plan involved the latter... gather material and write a book. However, rather than accomplish that goal by traveling to the far corners of the world, Bob travels to one of the corners of his house, where a bird feeder is set up just outside the window, in close proximity to the Cayuga Inlet. Armed with his camera, his zoom lens, and an abundance of patience, Bob has captured enough material to enable him to write a book. Two, in fact.

The first book — published in 2024 — is entitled “The Birds at Bob’s Diner,” and it is comprised of about 30 pages of photos with captions generated by Bob Riter himself. The second book — entitled “The Birds at Bob’s Diner, Vol. 2” — was published in 2025, and this series (who knows how many volumes are to come?) shows just how efficient one can be in collecting photos writing interesting and amusing captions if one is so inclined.

I have known Bob for several years, and I knew he was a cancer survivor. He worked as the Executive Director of the Cancer Resource Center, and is a committed, ambitious advocate for those dealing with cancer. Having followed Bob on Facebook, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that he is also a bird whisperer. (The books also feature numerous cameo

appearances by chipmunks, squirrels, deer and a woodchuck.) Some of Bob’s captions make it clear that he peers into the souls of the feathered and furry “patrons” visiting his diner, and I have no doubt that Bob’s speaking so accurately and compellingly on their behalf makes them very happy.

I love the photo of the two Blue Jays dining together, one telling the other, “Trust me, this man in the window is going to take your picture and put it on Facebook.” The bird being told this looks unsure whether he wants his photo to be shared... as if he was supposed to be elsewhere. Another favorite: A female cardinal, sporting a prodigious tuft of feathers atop her head, seems to notice the camera as she is about to begin her meal. That caption reads, “A firstyear college student home for Thanksgiving, surprising her family with a new hairstyle.”

One photo features a pair of squirrels seemingly grateful for their 15 minutes of fame. An image of a chipmunk with its jaws bulging with food prompted this caption: “When chipmunks are lonely, they pull out their harmonica and play the blues.” The caption “Making a new friend” accompanies a sweet photo of a gray squirrel and a chipmunk sharing a meal (and perhaps a conversation), and an occasional woodchuck and deer stop by

after news of Bob’s Diner apparently rolled across their Facebook feed.

I reached out to the proprietor of Bob’s Diner with a few questions, the first being How much fun are you having? Bob repied, “I’ve spent nearly 30 years engaged in the very serious world of cancer support and advocacy. While I love that work and continue to be engaged both locally and nationally, I’m having the best time working on something that’s just for fun. Nothing gives me more pleasure than having people stop me in a store or restaurant to say that my book made them happy.”

How do you take the photos?

“Nearly all of the photos were taken through my window with a camera equipped with a zoom lens. I also have outside video cameras that I use primarily to capture wildlife that wander through at night.”

Do you start with the photo or the caption?

“I always start with a photo that captures some sort of expression. I love when different species of birds exchange glances. What are they thinking? My caption tries to imagine what they would say.”

Are more books forthcoming?

“I think there’s a good chance. I’m lucky to have worked with Katrina Morse, a local artist and designer, on both of my bird books.”

Where might someone buy your books?

“The books are available locally at Odyssey Bookstore, Buffalo Street Books and Sunny Days of Ithaca, and through Amazon.”

Review: “Eternity” is The Year’s Best Date Movie

By Clement Obropta

Why do we love stories about the afterlife? From TV shows like “The Good Place” and “Upload” to films like “A Matter of Life and Death” and “Defending Your Life,” folks have always been interested in stories about what happens after we die. And rarely is it depicted with as much sensitivity, humor, and wisdom as in “Eternity,” a new theatrical release from A24.

Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) is dead. And before she can move on to the hereafter, she’s stuck in a sort of in-between space. It looks like a mid-century train station. There, she meets her Afterlife Coordinator, Ryan (John Early), and is faced with an impossible choice: She can spend her eternity with her recently deceased husband, Larry (Miles Teller), or with Luke (Callum Turner), her first husband, who died in the Korean War and has been waiting in this limbo for Joan ever since.

Joan, however, is not our main character, and her lack of significant characterization is one of the film’s few flaws. Instead, we follow Larry, who died after choking on a pretzel at a gender reveal party. What a way to go.

“Eternity”

Rated PG-13

Directed by David Freyne

Currently playing at Cinemapolis and Regal Ithaca Mall

120 E Green St., Ithaca and 40 Catherwood Road, Ithaca

WE THE PEOPLE

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of change is increasingly hard to ignore. Housing prices continue to climb while wages and financial aid struggle to keep pace. Local businesses face both excitement and uncertainty in a transforming regional economy. Parents, caregivers, educators, students, and clinicians are witnessing mental-health needs rise across all ages. Seniors navigating fixed incomes confront the ripple effects of inflation. And food insecurity—often

Larry’s Afterlife Coordinator, Anna (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), lays out the rules: He has a week to pick his afterlife, he can only choose one eternity, and there’s no take-backs. Luckily, he’s spoiled for choice: The in-between is laid out like one big trade show, with massive hotels and the train station surrounding a large section of tents, each one promoting a different eternity. There’s a Queer World, Nudist World, Man-free Worlds, and a Smokers World (“because cancer can’t kill you twice!”) — the list goes on. Much of the action of “Eternity” takes place in this limbo, as Larry and Luke compete for Joan’s affection, and the Afterlife Coordinators are always on hand to underline the dystopian imperfections of this world.

Fans of “The Good Place” should be used to the conceit of a joylessly bureaucratic afterlife. Some of these quirks of world-building are brilliant — for instance, when you die, you’re reverted back to the age you were when you were most happy. Others are puzzling — the notion that you can only choose one eternity, for example, feels designed to squeeze drama from the characters. How remarkably postmodern it is to imagine that even in death, we will remain beholden to oppressive systems beyond our control.

Olsen, Teller, and Turner are magnificent in “Eternity.” Olsen and Teller give layered, complex performances, and clearly director David Freyne wasn’t afraid to make them off-putting. Larry is, after all, a

invisible—is affecting far more households, dorm rooms, and retirement communities than many realize. These issues are intertwined, and any real solutions must be, too. Housing intersects with transportation and childcare. Economic development ties directly to workforce stability, youth opportunities, and a thriving sports, arts, and cultural scene. Mental health influences everything—from school success to productivity at work to healthy aging. The Secret Salon Series will help to surface these connections, not through top-down

curmudgeonly old man who’s been reborn as Miles Teller. The young actor plays a delightful schmuck who slowly matures into an emotionally deep, empathetic man. Olsen, meanwhile, is all fluttering eyes and stammers, perpetually on the backfoot until the end of the second act, when she finally starts asking herself what she wants rather than listening to these two dudes jockeying for her love.

Turner, as the seemingly perfect war hero first husband, plays his role like Clark Gable. He’s impossibly sincere, strong, and straight-backed, with an arsenal of excellent one-liners he’s likely spent the last 60 years in limbo perfecting. We both believe that he’s the perfect man for Joan and the perfect foil for the otherwise totally mundane Larry. “Luke’s always been a memory,” Larry says. “I don’t know how to compete with a memory.”

And then there’s Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who plays Larry’s Afterlife Coordinator, Anna, with a fantastic cocktail of flippancy, professionalism, and support. She might be fourth-billed here, but so charismatic is Randolph’s performance that she convinces you that “Eternity” is Anna’s story, too.

directives, but by tapping into the collective intelligence and lived experience already present in our community.

Ultimately, the insights and ideas shared in these salons will inform the nonprofit’s community reports, ensuring that what happens in these small rooms helps shape larger initiatives and decisions. Over time, these gatherings may spark collaborations, policy recommendations, and new community partnerships.

The salons are open to anyone who cares about the future of Ithaca, curiosity is the only requirement. And while the

This is Freyne’s most major work so far — he’s directed two smaller-budgeted indies before and a handful of short films. He wrote “Eternity,” too, alongside Pat Cunnane. Freyne brings a prudent sensibility to the high-concept comedy, and the purposeful twinkly score, pleasant cinematography, strong control of colors, and immaculate sets all work together to convince you that you’re watching a film from the 1950s or ’60s. It’s hard to believe “Eternity” was made this century, and I eagerly look forward to what Freyne makes next.

So why do we love afterlife stories so much? Maybe it’s because none of us knows for sure what happens after we die, so it’s fun to see speculative fiction about it. But I think the real reason is that these stories remind us of what really matters in life. They’re about the people you choose to spend your life with, the people who bring you love and joy, the people you wish you could stay with forever. “Eternity” is a fantastic film to go see with the love of your life in the middle of the Ithaca winter.

Clement Obropta is a film columnist for the Ithaca Times.

format may be “secret,” the purpose is entirely transparent: to create a welcoming, inspiring space for connection, reflection, and meaningful dialogue.

The rooms may be small, but what happens inside them has the potential to be far-reaching. Most big changes begin quietly—often with a handful of people daring to imagine something better. In that way, every “Secret Salon” begins the same way Ithaca’s most important movements have begun: with thoughtful people gathering, listening, and deciding to shape the future together.

The ERA Lost in 1975. The Debate Hasn’t Changed in 2025

By Jake Sexton

The morning after Election Day, 1975, left New Yorkers across the state stunned. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) had been a measure which waltzed through the state’s legislature with near-unilateral bipartisan support, but it didn’t stop voters from halting its momentum at the ballot box. The measure’s failure was not only a shock that swept through the state, but the whole country. The ERA was perceived as a certainty, a model example for the rest of the nation to follow. Rather than kickstart a nation-wide progressive movement, it served as a benchmark in America’s fight over family dynamics, reproductive rights and gender equality.

Ithaca Times reporter Deborah Schoch’s 1975 article, “Hard Times for the ERA,” captured the community’s disbelief of the amendment’s failure. Supporters felt confused, demoralized and betrayed, whilst opponents believed themselves to be vindicated. And yet, between the opposing parties stood a public riveted by cultural anxiety, political messaging and misinformation — eerily reminiscent of the America we know today.

Schoch’s piece opens with remarks from Assembleywoman Karen Burstein, who chalks the measure’s defeat up to a misunderstanding and lack of public education on the bill. She connoted that many ERA advocates “assumed people knew what the amendment meant.” But in 1975 — just as

FORMER BIG RED ATHLETES

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the program five years ago and last spring, led his team to its first national championship in 48 years. If one is going to be a legend, one might as well get started early.

Todd Kennett was a key rower for the Big Red — graduating in 1991 — and has been a coach now for 24 seasons. He

EMERGENCY SERVICES IN CRISIS

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rather than having an additional provider. She said that Bangs leadership has been discussing transitioning to a nonprofit struc-

in 2025 — making assumptions about public understanding is a gambler’s game. Organizations opposing the measure included groups such as the New York State Right to Life Committee, a myriad of conservative family coalitions and a national movement led by Phyllis Schlafly that snowballed by the day all flooded the debate around the ERA with their own warnings. They talked of legalized prostitution, women in arms, unisex bathrooms, gay marriage and the destruction of the nuclear family. They went as far to claim a complete collapse of “national sovereignty” as we understood it. Ring any bells?

The most captivating aspect of Schoch’s work is how little the rhetoric has actually shifted in the last five decades. Today, we are constantly bombarded with the culture war through every finely-tuned algorithm our phones have to provide, with the gender battle remaining a consistent focal point fifty years later. In the same vein as those who opposed the ERA, insinuating the bill would promote dramatic social change, modern conservative critics raise the same alarms surrounding genderrelated legislation. They sound the alarm to the similar dialogue of destabilized family dynamics and structures parental rights stripped from the hands of American families. Debates regarding abortion and reproductive rights became deeply entangled with the ERA’s agenda, debates which have not simmered in the slightest over the last fifty years.

headed up the Lightweight program for several years, then took over the Heavyweights in 2008.

Wes Newman was an NCAA qualifier and set a number of records (5 individual and 4 relay) while swimming for Cornell, graduating in 2009. Wes worked as an assistant coach for his alma mater for 5 years, then took the helm a decade ago as the program’s head coach.

Mike Grey was a key member of the

ture and will continue to discuss it, but it has not made that decision yet. For-profit or nonprofit, Meghan said that she hopes Bangs can be equally included in conversations about countywide EMS planning.

“At the end of the day, we all just need some additional support, we need more

The 1975 article illustrated the tension which existed within the pro-ERA movement. Some proprietors of the amendment felt that the state had already significantly watered it down, particularly in regards to legislators making the language describing voting rights intentionally more vague as opposed to its original form that outlined abortion rights explicitly. Thus, they viewed the revised version as being far too compromised to fight for. This fracture in the progressive movement seen in 1975 can be seen in the modern left today. With no clear frontrunner to be the 2028 presidential nominee, accompanied by an inability to agree on the best way to combat the populist right, the party has become split between centrists and progressives.

When viewing this voting booth-battleground with the benefit of hindsight, the effectiveness of the opposition’s ability to pervert the ERA’s mission into something that it wasn’t cannot be overlooked. Judy Smith, a member of the New York State Bar Association, argued that a vote against the ERA was not “a vote against women,” but rather a defense of traditional family values. Senator Mary Goodhue said of the outcome, “[supporters] did a poor job getting their message across.”

As made evident by the rhetoric, the fears experienced in 1975 were deeply revealing. One spokesperson for the state’s Right to Life Committee plainly stated, “the husband should go out working and the

Cornell Wrestling powerhouse team that finished as NCAA runner-ups in 2010 and ‘11. Grey — a two-time All American — was mentored as an assistant by his collegiate coach (Rob Koll) and succeeded Koll as the top dog in 2021. Finally, back to Casey Jones, who just took over after Schafer’s historic 30-year head coaching run. Casey graduated in 1990, and played for and coached with Brian McCutcheon, who, as die hard Big

training, we need more funding, and it’ll be interesting to see how the different counties solve those problems,” Meghan said.

Hart, who has been discussing EMS support with the county since 2016, said he is hopeful that the county will be able to implement immediate support and take steps

wife stay[s] home.” This wasn’t merely about constitutional amendments; this was about gender roles and society’s social structure. Flash forward to 2025, the parallels are difficult to ignore. The Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs ruling has reopened old wounds and debates around reproductive autonomy. Even New York remains engaged in fierce battles over techno-industrialism, energy concerns and child-care funding, all of which are policy debates which hinge — albeit in less obvious ways — on whose shoulders domestic labor should fall and whose autonomy is valued and respected.

The ERA’s 1975 defeat makes it clear that political progress isn’t linear. Legal and constitutional equality can be halted in an instant by moments of cultural anxiety that political actors leverage to their advantage. And, in response, those same advocacy groups either amplify and respond, or ultimately fail to counter. If history offers us any lesson this week, public opinion is fluid. The ERA’s failure in 1975 was not because New Yorkers as a whole were against the idea of equality, it was due to supporters inability to prevent exterior forces to rewrite its meaning. Because, even better than those who championed the amendment, its opposition better understood how fear can shape the ballot box.

To this day, the United States government has not ratified a federal Equal Rights Amendment.

Red fans know, played on the storied 1970 Cornell team that remains the only Division 1 team to go undefeated on its way to the national title. Jones served under Schafer as the Associate Head Coach from 2008-2011, left to take over the Clarkson program, and returned to his alma mater last year to coach alongside Schafer and create a smooth transition. So far, so good, as the Big Red is 7-4-0 and ranked #17 in the nation.

toward a sustainable long-term system. “If providing life saving emergency services isn’t a proper role of government, then there is no proper role for government,” Hart said. “I really hope that we’re not having the exact same conversation in a year. I would like to see some movement.”

Bars/Bands/Clubs

12/10 Wednesday

What’s Cookin’ Jazz Trio | 6 p.m. | Brookton’s Market, 491 Brooktondale Rd. | Free Firefly Trio | 6:30 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd. | Free

12/12 Friday

The Elderly Brothers| 6 p.m. –

8 p.m, | Hopshire Farm and Brewery| 1771 Dryden Rd., Freeville Jesse Collins Jazz | 7 p.m. | MIX Art Gallery & Event Space, 156 E. State St. (2nd Floor) | $10.00

12/13 Saturday

Ric Robertson & The Rollin’ Rust | 8 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd.

12/16 Tuesday

Femme Frequencies | 5 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd.

What’s Cookin’ Jazz Trio| 7 p.m. | The Bike Bar Ithaca, 314 E. MLK Jr., St. | Free

12/17 Wednesday

Diana Leigh’s Holiday Spectacular | 7 p.m. | TreeHouse Studio & Lounge, 119 S Cayuga St. | $12.00 - $15.00

Concerts/Recitals

12/10 Wednesday

Ithaca College: Symphony Orchestra | 8:15 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

12/11 Thursday

Cornell Gamelan Ensemble with Peni Candra Rini (CU Music) | 3 p.m. | Lincoln Hall, 256 Feeney Way | Free Chase Rice | 7:30 p.m. | LECOM Event Center, 155 N. Main Street, Elmira NY

12/12 Friday

Christmas In The Air | 7 p.m. | LECOM Event Center, 155 N. Main Street, Elmira NY

12/13 Saturday

Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes Holiday Concert | 3 p.m. | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway, Elmira NY | $0.00 - $59.00

The Magic of Holiday Traditions Together | 3 p.m. | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway, Elmira NY Celtic Christmas Coat Drive and Benefit Concert for Loaves and Fishes | 7:30 p.m. | Night Eagle Cafe at the Savage Club and Lansing Performance Hall, 1004 Auburn Rd., Lansing NY | Free

12/14 Sunday

Holiday Traditions Open House at Willard Chapel | 12 p.m. | Willard Chapel, 17 Nelson St., Auburn NY | Free

Eric Gales | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St., Homer NY

Stage

C harles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: A Solo Performance by Neil McGarry | 2 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St., Auburn NY | See the critically-acclaimed one-man telling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol! | $29.40

Reindeer Sessions | 7 p.m., 12/10

Wednesday | Kitchen Theatre Company, 417 W. State / W. MLK, Jr. Street | Meet Blitzen: a hard drinking, belligerent reindeer ready to blow the roof off the Kringle-industrial complex. A hilariously unhinged new holiday classic. Wednesay–Saturday: party 6:15 p.m., curtain 7 p.m. Sunday: party 1:15 p.m., curtain 2 p.m. | $40.00 - $60.00

Holiday Burly Bingo | 7:30 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Homer Center for the Arts, 72 South Main Street, Homer, NY | Burlesque and Bingo! | $20.00

A Christmas Carol, SensoryFriendly Performance | 7:30 p.m., 12/11 Thursday | Cider Mill Stage, 2 Nanticoke Ave, Endicott NY | A Christmas Carol — Sensory-Friendly Performance. God Bless Us, Everyone!

Ithaca Ballet’s Nutcracker | 7:30 p.m. 12/12 Friday, 3:00 p.m. 12/13 and 12/14 | State Theatre, 107 W State St. | Ithaca Ballet’s Nutcracker returns to launch the Holiday season.

Miracle on 34th Street — The Radio Play | 7 p.m., 12/13

ITHACA BALLET’S NUTCRACKER FRIDAY DECEMBER 12 AT 7:30 PM, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AT 3:00 PM, STATE THEATRE, 107 W STATE ST.

Saturday | Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St. | The Dickens Christmas Radio Play returns to the Auburn Public Theater for a performance of Miracle on 34th Street.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze | 7 p.m., 12/15 Monday | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway, Elmira NY | 7:00 p.m. | Tickets starting at $46.

The Ugly Xmas Sweater Musical| 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 12/17 Wednesday | The REV Theatre Co., 6877 E. Lake Rd., Auburn NY |

Art

Contemporary Mapping : One Foot Forward | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. 12/10 Wednesday – 12/13 Saturday | Corners Gallery, 903 Hanshaw Rd., Suite 101A | Contemporary Mapping : One Foot Forward features work by 34 artists! | Free

Daniel Rothenberg’s “The Alchemist’s Press” | 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., 12/13 Saturday and 12/14 Sunday | The Gallery at South Hill, 950 Danby Rd. South Hill Business Campus | Daniel Rothenberg’s one person exhibit titled “The Alchemist’s Press” at The Gallery at South Hill. Rochester NY based artist Rothenberg is focused on pushing the boundaries of what printmaking and photography can become when they intersect. | Free

Film

Susie Bright presents: Behind the Scenes of “The Celluloid Closet” |

There are 70+ dancers in the Nutcracker, key dancing roles from the Ithaca Ballet company but many are guest dancers from the Ithaca community and beyond, with many guest children who train with the Ballet Center of Ithaca. It’s a treat for the whole family and a Finger Lakes tradition. The Nutcracker is truly a team effort and a community treasure. Children of all ages will delight in Clara's victory over the mice and her voyage to the Land of Sweets. (Photo: Provided)

16,

5 p.m., 12/12 Friday | Grayhaven Motel, 657 Elmira Rd. | A video show and tell from one of the creators of the fabled Hollywood documentary. | Free Student Film Screening | 5 p.m., 12/12 Friday | Kiplinger Theater, Cornell University, 144 East Ave. | Join the Department of Performing and Media Arts for the Student Film Screening featuring unique, empathetic, and collaborative works from students in PMA 3570: Film and Video Production I, PMA 3571: Documentary Filmmaking, PMA 3580: Cinematography and Visual Storytelling, and PMA 1410: Media Production Laboratory. Content warning: For mature audiences only. Films contain material that may be triggering to some audience members. | Free White Christmas | 3 p.m., 12/13 Saturday | Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St., Auburn NY | A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn.| Free

Cinemapolis

120 E. Green St., Ithaca Movies starting December 12th. Contact Cinemapolis for showtimes and continuing films.

Peter Hujar’s Day | A recently discovered conversation between photographer Peter Hujar and his friend Linda Rosenkrantz in 1974 reveals a glimpse into New York City’s downtown art scene and the personal struggles and epiphanies that define an artist’s life. | NR 76 mins

You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine | A star-studded tribute concert film, captured in October 2022 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, honoring the legendary songwriter’s enduring legacy. Featuring heartfelt performances and behind-the-scenes stories, the event brought together

family, friends, and acclaimed artists like Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Tyler Childers, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam, Jason Isbell, and Bob Weir to celebrate Prine’s life and music on the iconic stage. | NR 90 mins

Special Events

Elves’ Faire | 11 a.m., 12/13 Saturday | Ithaca Waldorf School, 20 Nelson Road | Enjoy natural material craft-making for kids, a marionette puppet show, magician Matt Jarman, food from Stone Bend Farm, a bazaar of local craft artisans, book sale, and interactions with magical beings! | Free

Books

Climate Literature Discussion | 4:30 p.m., 12/17 Wednesday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Join us for community-led conversations about climate change, as we discuss The Light Pirate and Flotsametrics and the Floating World | Free G rayhaven Book Club: A Very Woodsy Murder Discussion | 5:30 p.m., 12/17 Wednesday | Grayhaven Motel Gallery Lounge, 657 Elmira Rd | Join fellow guests, community members, and Grayhaven staff for the launch of the Grayhaven Book Club! We’ll be discussing our first selection, A Very Woodsy Murder. | Free The Writers’ Room | 6 p.m., 12/17 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Work on your writing project in the company of other writers. | Free

Kids

Science Together: Flower Dissection | 10:30 a.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Practice using tools and making observations as we

ELVES’ FAIRE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13 FROM 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, ITHACA

WALDORF SCHOOL, 20 NELSON ROAD Marionette puppet show, artisan craft and food vendors, Waldorf book sale, live music, facepainting, interactions with magical beings. Free admission; bundles of county-fair-style tickets sold at the door. Proceeds benefit IWS scholarship programs. (Photo: Provided)

look at all the parts of a

Science Together activities are designed for ages 0-4.

Animal Feeding | 4 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Join an Animal Keeper to observe snakes, lizards, frogs, and fish snacking on their preferred prey.

Baby & Toddler Storytime | 10:30 a.m., 12/12 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Caregivers and their children are invited to join Cassie for music, rhymes, movement and books. Storytime will be followed by a playtime from 11-12.

Photos with Santa | 6 p.m., 12/12 Friday | Cortland Repertory Theatre Downtown, 24 Port Watson St., Cortland NY | Santa takes a break from making all those toys to visit his favorite photo spot - CRT Downtown! And he’s ready for his picture to be taken with all the good girls and boys who visit!

Math Fun with MathHappens! |

10 a.m., 12/13 Saturday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Join us for playful, informal math learning with the MathHappens Foundation! Families and kids can explore hands-on activities that make math fun, creative, and connected to everyday life.

Gifts from Nature (Family Program) | 10 a.m., 12/13 Saturday | Nevin Welcome Center, 124 Comstock Knoll Drive | Explore cultural connections to plants, as you craft with your child and create uniquely natureinspired gifts for the holiday season!

Holiday Model Train Day & Model Train Sale | 10 a.m., 12/13 Saturday | Central New York Living History Center, 4386 US Rte. 11, Cortland NY | Holiday Train Displays & Holiday Ornament Crafts

Families Learning Science Together | 2 p.m., 12/13 Saturday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Children ages 5

and up and their families are invited to a free science program co-hosted by Chemists for Outreach and Graduate Inclusion (CoRGi) at Cornell University.

Science Connections: Naturalist Outreach | 2 p.m., 12/14 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!

Family Open Play | 9:30 a.m., 12/15 Monday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | Free space for families to come with their children — ages 0 to 4 years old — to play and socialize with other families.

Baby & Toddler Playtime | 10 a.m., 12/15 Monday | Tompkins County Public Library, 01 East Green Street | Baby & Toddler Playtime is an unstructured play and social time for children and caregivers offering a warm, childfriendly space with books and ageappropriate toys.

Homeschool Get Ready To Read | 1 p.m., 12/15 Monday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St | Mondays at 1 p.m. A program for emergent readers ages 4-7 yrs.

Ready, Set, Read! | 6 p.m., 12/15 Monday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St. | Mondays at 6 p.m. A program for emergent readers ages 4-7 yrs.

Science Together: Flubber | 10:30 a.m., 12/16 Tuesday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St | Use a variety of tools to explore and make observations about the fun properties of Flubber! Science Together activities are designed for ages 0-4.

Chinese Bilingual Storytime | 4:30 p.m., 12/17 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join us for a special ChineseEnglish bilingual storytime! Enjoy fun stories, songs, and rhymes in

both Mandarin and English. Children of all ages and their caregivers are welcome.

Notices

Local Fiber 2025 Holiday Pop-Up Shop | 11 a.m., 12/10 Wednesday | 115 S. Cayuga Street | 11-6 Wednesday, Friday–Sunday and 11-8 Thursdays through 12/28 for amazing yarns, accessories and more from local fiber farmers, and visit LocalFiber.ny on FaceBook for Workshops and demonstrations that will be taking place as well! | Free

CAP-a-Palooza Vintage Art Sale

Extraordinaire! | 12 p.m., 12/10

Wednesday | Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, 110 N. Tioga Street, Tompkins Center for History and Culture, on the Ithaca Commons. | Awesome annual fundraising sale of pre-owned art for the Community Arts Partnership (CAP). Opening Friday Dec 5, 5-8 p.m. Continuing 12/6 and 12/8-13 12-6 p.m. | Free

LGBTQ+ Youth Group | 5:45 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join us at LGBTQ+ Youth Group to do crafts, play games, and socialize. Whether your lesbian, gay, bi, trans, questioning, or just trying to figure things out — we’re here for you!

Astrology Meeting | 6 p.m., 12/10

Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E. Green Street | We learn astrology together and would love to have you join us. All knowledge levels welcome. | Free

Tompkins Connect Holiday Party & GIAC Toy Drive | 6:30 p.m., 12/10

Wednesday | Bike Bar Ithaca, 314 East State Street Suite 100 | Celebrate the end of the year and holiday cheer with Tompkins Connect! Meet this fun group of young professionals for drinks and hangs at Bike Bar Ithaca! Anyone can join!

JIM MURPHY CELTIC CHRISTMAS COAT DRIVE AND BENEFIT

CONCERT FOR LOAVES AND FISHES

SATURDAY DECEMBER 13,

DJ Trivia with Dave Ashton | 6:30 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Hopshire Farm and Brewery, 1771 Dryden Road | Join Dave Ashton for a challenging round of “DJ Trivia” at Hopshire Farm and Brewery! | Free Trivia! | 7 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Liquid State Brewery, 620 West Green Street | Grow your brain or just show it off to a loveable bunch of Trivia-lovers. Hosted by Ithaca’s Trivia legend, Bob Proehl. Get there early as seats fill up fast! | Free

Wednesday Open Mic Night | 7 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | The Nocturnal Café, 103 S Geneva St. | Free weekly Wednesday Open Mic night at The Nocturnal Café, Ithaca’s nightlife alternative, featuring music, poetry, dance and more! | Free Latin Wednesday | 9 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | The Upstairs, 106 S. Cayuga St. | Ithaca’s longest running and hottest weekly dance party. Meet new dancers, learn new moves, and have fun!

TCPL Tours: Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory | 10 a.m., 12/11 Thursday | Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory, Cornell University, 236 Tower Rd. | Get up-close and personal on a tour of Cornell University’s Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory — home to more than 600 species of plants from 144 plant families. Learn more about rare plants, plants of economic importance, and plants that defy the imagination on a tour lead by Cornell AES greenhouse grower Leo Lo. Women in Business Roundtable at ¡Viva! Taqueria & Cantina | 3 p.m., 12/11 Thursday | Viva Taqueria, 215 E State Street | Join us for a special Women in Business Roundtable at ¡Viva! Taqueria & Cantina. We’ll gather for meaningful conversation and connection with fellow women business and nonprofit leaders.

CCE Tompkins 2025 Annual Meeting | 4:30 p.m., 12/11 Thursday

| CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | Join us at our Annual Meeting to reflect on the past year, recognize and celebrate partnerships, and plan for our future! The Annual Meeting is open to everyone. | $15.00

Brewhouse Blues Jam | 6 p.m., 12/11 Thursday | Hopshire Farm & Brewery, 1771 Dryden Rd. | We are honored to have the opportunity to host one of the longest-standing Ithaca blues jam traditions! | Free

How To Talk With Your Child About Sexuality | 6:30 p.m., 12/11 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Presented by Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. Learn strategies for talking with your child about important issues. Drop-ins welcome; register to get an email reminder about the event.

Red Cross Blood Drive | 10 a.m., 12/12 Friday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | CCE Tompkins and Tompkins County 4-H are hosting a Blood Drive with the American Red Cross. Schedule your blood donation appointment and you can help ensure life-saving care for those who need it.

Art Cafe | 6 p.m., 12/12 Friday | The Clay School’s Art Room, 950 Danby Road | The Clay School’s ART Room features an Art Cafe! | Free

Healing Arts for the Holidays: A Restorative & Musical Experience |

2 p.m., 12/13 Saturday | Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Rd. | A restorative day of healing arts, energy work, live music and movement. Local practitioners from a range of modalities are offering short sessions for the public, followed by a potluck, sound healing and a live music ecstatic dance. All are welcome! Fundraiser for the FOL. | $15.00 - $80.00

LCA Winter Scholarship Fundraiser | 7 p.m., 12/13 Saturday | Old Mexico Restaurant & Cantina, 357 Elmira Rd. | Join the Latino Civic

Association for a casual evening of community celebration, all in support of the LCA’s Cecilia Montaner-Vargas Award. | $25.00 - $75.00

DJ Trivia with Dave Ashton | 7 p.m., 12/14 Sunday | Crossroads Bar and Grill, 3120 North Triphammer Road | Join Dave Ashton for DJ Trivia every Sunday night at Crossroads in Lansing! Bring your friends and family for an evening of amazing food, local beer, wine and spirits and (of course) trivia! | Free

Ghost’s Open Mic | 6:45 p.m., 12/15 Monday | Nocturnal Cafe , 103 S Geneva St. | This is a fun Spoken Word Poetry and Stand Up comedy Open Mic | Free

DJ Trivia | 7 p.m., 12/15 Monday | 23 North Restaurant and Bar, 23 Cinema Drive | Join Kurt for DJ Trivia every Monday night at 23 North Restaurant and Bar in Ithaca! Bring your friends and family for an evening of amazing food, drink and (of course) trivia! | Free Open Mic Stand Up Comedy Night | 7 p.m., 12/16 Tuesday | The Downstairs, 121 E M.L.K. Jr. St. | First and third Tuesdays of the month! Kenneth McLauren hosts Open Mic Stand Up Comedy Night at The Downstairs! Line Dance with Becky | 7 p.m., 12/16 Tuesday | Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Rd. | Community Line Dance in Ithaca. Come join Becky on the dance floor for some fun, a good workout and brain exercise! | $5.00 - $15.00

Mindful Birding at Sapsucker Woods | 12 p.m., 12/17 Wednesday | Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. | Join us at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for a peaceful mid-day break with stationary, mindful birding; binoculars provided. | Free

Community Police Board Meeting | 4:30 p.m., 12/17 Wednesday | Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall.

DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 PM, CONCERT AT 7 PM The Lansing Performing Arts Center, 1004 Auburn Rd., North Lansing NY | Six Mile Craic and members of Traonach, along with other members of the Ithaca Celtic Music Community, will come out for an evening of music and community support. “It takes a village- please be a part of ours.” Bring cookies to share. BRING YOUR COATS. (Photo: Provided) THE DICKENS CHRISTMAS RADIO PLAY: MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET SATURDAY DECEMBER 13 AT 7 P.M

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Marvelous Mollusks: Now on Exhibit at the Museum of the Earth 1259 Trumansburg Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 273-6623 www.museumoftheearth.org

Why Do Museums Matter?

Across the country, certain institutions quietly uphold something irreplaceable: knowledge, culture, and the stories that define who we are. Museums are among the few places that do this reliably, year after year. They safeguard evidence of our past, make sense of our present, and lay the foundation for informed generations ahead.

But many museums now stand at a crossroads, including one right here in Ithaca — the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) and its public exhibit facility the Museum of the Earth. After more than ninety years of accumulating and interpreting records of Earth’s deep history and bringing it vividly to life for the public, PRI is facing significant financial pressures as a result of the unexpected loss of its largest single donor two years ago. For those who understand the value of legacy and long-term stewardship, the question becomes clear: What will be lost if we allow museums like this to fail?

Collections-based Museums Matter Because They Preserve What Can’t Be Replaced

PRI oversees one of America’s largest and most important paleontological research collections: more than seven million specimens. This is a resource that cannot be recreated, duplicated, or recovered once it’s gone. Indeed, over its history, PRI itself has adopted collections that other institutions were no longer willing or able to care for, because once they are gone, then cannot be replaced.

Museums like PRI don’t house these objects to “own” them. They hold them in trust for posterity – for the benefit of future generations, to protect them from decay, neglect, and dispersal. Without such institutional care, these objects cannot be solutions to future scientific questions or societal challenges. Once lost, the knowledge contained in these specimens can never be regained.

For anyone who has ever invested in protecting the things that matter— family history, property, records, archives—the logic is the same: if you don’t safeguard that which is unique and irreplaceable, they can disappear forever.

Museums

Matter Because They Create Understanding, and Inspire and Educate us about

Real Objects

The Museum of the Earth translates PRI’s century of scientific expertise into accessible, memorable experiences for people of all backgrounds. Visitors walk through 4.5 billion years of Earth’s history—through ancient seas, mass extinctions, evolving climates, and the dawn of human influence. This isn’t entertainment. It’s essential context for us to understand ourselves, our planet, and the other living things with which we share it.

Because they are repositories of real objects and their associated information, collections based museums like PRI are an irreplaceable foundation for how we see and understand the world. They cultivate critical thinking in a world crowded with misinformation. They are places of authenticity — of real objects — in our increasingly virtual and AI-generated culture. They are

sources of inspiration for our young people, who by seeing and touching these pieces of past and present reality can be stimulated to explore, to question, to reach further.

Museums Matter Because They Strengthen Communities and Economies

Museums do more than educate. They benefit local economies through tourism, support jobs for skilled professionals, and enrich regional partnerships with schools and universities. They enhance property values, community identity, and regional pride.

When museums thrive, communities do. When they falter, the loss is immediate and the recovery—if it happens at all—is expensive.

What We Risk Without Them

The challenges faced by PRI and the Museum of the Earth mirror what many U.S. museums now confront. Rising costs, aging infrastructure, and increasingly uncertain public funding threaten institutions nationwide. Here’s what disappears when a museum closes:

• Irreplaceable scientific collections.

• Educational access.

• Local economic activity.

• Cultural and scientific memory.

• Inspiration for future generations.

These are not hypothetical risks. It is happening now, across the country.

A Loss We Can Prevent

The good news? This is a problem with a clear solution. PRI and its Museum of the Earth don’t need “saving”—they need sustaining.

Support doesn’t have to be time-consuming. It can be simple, strategic, and powerful:

• Annual giving

• Major gifts

• Endowment contributions

• Sponsorships for exhibits and public programs

• Legacy gifts and estate planning

• Corporate matches

For nearly a century, PRI has quietly protected the public’s scientific and cultural heritage. Now they need the people who value legacy—and who have the means to shape it—to step forward.

If you believe that knowledge, history, and truth matter, this is a moment to act.

Action Required: You can make a difference today. Contact Amanda Schmitt Piha at development@priweb.org to help ensure that PRI and the Museum of the Earth remain open for generations to come.

Website: www.museumoftheearth.org

Anthony Fazio Celebration of Life

To remember and celebrate the life of Anthony Fazio (1951 -2025)

Practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine at Peaceful Spirit Acupuncture and the Ithaca Free Clinic

Student and teacher of Qi Gong and diverse martial arts, including Aikido, Iaido, and Tai Chi Friend, teacher, husband, and father

Lunch provided; additional dishes for the table welcome RSVP & for more info: tinyurl.com/anthonyfazio