Ithaca DRI round 8 application, DEI under fire at Tractor Supply, Cornell ranks for value

Good morning ☀️

I hope everyone's eyes and ears have had a chance to recover from fireworks because I've got a Daily Briefing in store for you on this fine Monday, as well as a taste of the best thing I ate last week.

Let me know about your Fourth of July holiday! Send me your best fireworks photos or pictures of how you celebrated the holiday at JMack@gannett.com and click here to sign up for more daily briefings from the Ithaca Journal .

Without further ado, here’s a look at Ithaca's latest stab at finding the funds to improve the city's downtown and West End.

Ithaca seeking downtown improvement projects and feedback on $10M state application

Think of what you could buy for $10 million. While for some a yacht may come to mind, for the City of Ithaca, downtrodden streets, sidewalks, and its under-loved West End are most in need of a funding boost.

In April, the city’s common council voted to hire a grant writing consultant to aid the city in applying and securing a grant from New York's annual $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), something that’s eluded the city through six application processes and eight years.

Find out how you can get involved in my recent article on Ithaca's latest stab at applying for funding the initiative.

Here's some news you may have missed this weekend

• DEI under fire at rural chain popular in NY: National retail chain Tractor Supply has been generating buzz and backlash on social media for its recent efforts of rejecting its previous plan to include diversity, equity, and inclusion into their business practice.
• Cornell ranks fourth in best valued NY colleges: A recent study from SmartAsset gave Ithaca's Ivy League University a college education value index score of 83.04 compared to top ranker Webb Institute's 93.95 index score .
• Reports of serious illnesses recall mushroom-infused candy, chocolate formerly purchasable online: A California-based company is recalling all flavors of its Diamond Shruumz chocolate bars, cones and gummies for reports of serious illnesses associated with consuming the products, which allegedly contained “nootropic and functional” mushrooms.

Feeling bratty? You won't be after you try these brats

There's nothing like a smoked sausage sandwich to help sate hunger pains in the summer, which is why I got creative and made my own specially seasoned brats − also known as bratwurst or German pork sausage − last week.

If you want to try them how I like them, fry them in a pan over medium heat with some chopped onion, garlic and butter or oil (or even just a thin layer of water if you don't want to add extra grease) until they start browning. Then, add in a few squirts (teaspoons) of Worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon or two of Dijon mustard, some red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste and let them simmer half-covered until most of the liquid evaporates, and you've got a delectable brat.

This method works great if you're cooking five or six brats in a large pan. Add a can of dark beer into the mix before letting it evaporate for a bit more of an authentic brat flavor. Pair these suckers with your favorite sauerkraut ( shout out Food And Ferments ) and go wild. I hear there are even some pretty tasty vegan sausages out there that might be worth trying this with.

I hope I helped you find your flavor today, but that's all from me.

Check your inbox tomorrow for more updates, and feel free to reach out to me at jmack@gannett.com regarding this newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Ithaca DRI round 8 application, DEI under fire at Tractor Supply, Cornell ranks for value