Southworks opening to visitors, Sciencenter shares sad news, move over laws, weekend plans

Good morning ☀️

It’s Thursday and I’m talking about the next big development in Ithaca in today's newsletter, and helping you to plan out your weekend.

If you have any Finger Lakes moments you’d like to share, send me your best photos and a short passage to JMack@gannett.com so I can share the love with other readers this Friday.

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Without further ado, here’s how you can get a glimpse of Ithaca's next big mixed-use development, SouthWorks.

SouthWorks open to visitors at the end of July

It’s been over 10 years in the making, but SouthWorks  –  a development plan for a site formerly known first as Morse Chain, then Emerson Power Transmission – is ready to unveil the fruits of a decade of environmental cleanup labor on its 95-acre property.

But, as an anomaly of a site, squashed between both the city and town of Ithaca, and once deemed a brownfield cleanup site, it’s gone through enough lengthy bureaucratic processes to be considered a time sink.

Click here to learn more about the site, how you can take a tour, and the use of pollutants in Ithaca's manufacturing history.

Here’s some more of what you need to know today

• The Ithaca Sciencenter shared some sad news Tuesday: Barbara Thorp, who worked at the Sciencenter from 1992 to 2006, retiring as its Director of Operations, recently left her legacy behind.
• A cucumber recall was expanded to include produce sold in NY stores: A multi-state Listeria outbreak continues to spread following an initial recall on July 12 from Wiers Farm Inc. of Willard Ohio.
• Don't forget to move over: AAA said 1,703 people were struck while outside of a disabled vehicle in the U.S. between 2016-2020, and 37 people were killed outside of disabled vehicles on New York roadways during the same period. Learn more about the importance of moving over in Neal Simon’s article on NY highway protections.

How to spend the last weekend of July 2024 in Tompkins County

Tompkins County is alive with local music after the recent GrassRoots festival, with Freight at the Finger Lakes Cider House , Go Gone at Hopshire Farm and Brewery , and The Gunpoets coming back to Cornell this Friday.

Hopshire’s also hosting a Punk Rock benefit concert starting at noon Saturday for any of you headbangers out there, and to the benefit of the Ithaca Free Clinic. Line up includes: Absolute Garbage, The Un’Brok3n, Secret Service Men, Open Swim, The UFOs, Get off My Lawn and Chippy Bevy.

Likewise, you can support Cornell’s Big Red, or the team at this year’s Racker at Racker Rivals Big Red at Lynah Rink this Saturday starting at 4 p.m., just after family skate at 2:30 p.m .  Since 2014, Racker Rivals Big Red has raised over $1.2 million. Support Cornell Hockey and a local nonprofit that helps kids and adults alike who need some support.

To the old heads out there (massive respect to the folks still rocking out like its ’73) this one’s for you. Cedarwood is celebrating the anniversary of the Glen’s legendary 1973 summer jam like it was yesterday with a weekend of live music and celebrations. Learn more here.

That’s about all I’ve got for you today but 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: Southworks opening to visitors, Sciencenter shares sad news, move over laws, weekend plans