Columbus
The Ithaca Voice
Two new Ithaca school board members, officers sworn in during testy first meeting
ITHACA, N.Y. — The Ithaca City School District (ICSD) Board of Education kicked off their new session Monday morning with heated discussion, a missing board member-elect and numerous stalemate votes. During the two-and-a-half hour meeting, board members selected a board president and vice president. They also voted to form...
Village of Candor Mayor arrested on corruption charges
ITHACA, N.Y. — The mayor of the Village of Candor has been arrested and charged with allegedly stealing money from the village’s general fund for personal use. Eric Halstead, 67, was arrested yesterday after an investigation by the New York State Police and the New York State Comptroller’s Office. He was arraigned Monday on a third-degree charge of grand larceny and a second-degree charge of corrupting the government.
Tompkins County seeking feedback on future Mobility Vision
ITHACA, N.Y. — Tompkins County officials are soliciting feedback from the public regarding the county’s 2024-2027 Mobility Vision document, which lays out the transportation needs of local residents and aims to identify and address various barriers to transportation access. Chief Transportation Officer Frank Doldo will host a series...
Six fire departments quell apartment fire in Newfield over weekend
NEWFIELD, N.Y. — Local and state firefighting and emergency service agencies from five surrounding municipalities responded to a devastating apartment and barn fire that destroyed the structures over the weekend on Hines Road, near Porter Hill Road. All occupants are accounted for and unharmed, according to Keven Morse, second...
Schools want to teach teens how to respond to overdoses, but there are challenges
LANSING, N.Y. — A handful of teens gather in the basement of the Lansing Community Library one evening in June. On a folding table in front of them sits the pink rubber head and torso of a demonstration dummy, similar to the type used to teach CPR. The students...
Weather: A cool start, but warmer and muggier late-week
ITHACA, N.Y. — Some cooler than normal temperatures will kick off the week ahead, but hotter, muggier conditions will return for your Independence Day festivities and next weekend. While some showers and thunderstorms will be possible for much of the second half of the week, the bigger issue will be the sticky humidity that will accompany the above-normal temps from Wednesday and through the weekend.
Police investigating shots fired incidents, related crash Friday afternoon
ITHACA, N.Y. — A string of two shooting incidents and a car crash in the city of Ithaca Friday afternoon were connected, police announced late Friday. There was one injury reported, which appeared minor. A press release from the Ithaca Police Department detailed two separate shots fired reports that...
Black Diamond Trail Bridge completed, moving expansion forward
ITHACA, N.Y. — A pedestrian bridge connecting the Black Diamond Trail (BDT) and the City of Ithaca’s Cherry Street Industrial Park area is complete, pushing the plan to connect the trail from Taughannock Falls to Buttermilk Falls one step closer to completion. The bridge connects the city’s West...
Transient campers: Residents from the Jungle relocate as clean-up effort continues
ITHACA, N.Y. — City workers have collected 292 tons of debris from “the Jungle,” Ithaca’s homeless encampment, since clean-up efforts began in May in response to a notice from Tompkins County deeming the property a public health hazard. That work only began after the 20-30 people...
“Ask Amy” columnist opening library in Freeville as she leaves her position this month
ITHACA, N.Y. — Amy Dickinson is leaving behind “Ask Amy,” the nationally syndicated advice column she has written for the last 21 years. She’s now opening a lending library in Freeville, her hometown, to promote literacy and provide a family-friendly community space and wants to write children’s books for early readers.
Obituary: Ruth Schaeffer
Ruth Thayer Schaeffer, age 85, an Ithaca native, passed away at home in Goleta California on June 21, 2024 as a consequence of vascular dementia. Despite her age, Ruthie remained youthful and attractive nearly all her life. She was born to frugal and loving parents, Fred and Bernice Thayer, in...
Former IPD chief settles race discrimination claims against city, will return to work
ITHACA, N.Y. — Former Acting Police Chief John Joly is returning to the Ithaca Police Department (IPD) after settling his lawsuit against the city over allegations that he was passed over for the permanent chief position because he is a white man. Joly has spent the last 14 months on paid leave from IPD, and will additionally be paid $175,000 as part of the settlement.
Missed deadlines pile up as New York’s climate law turns five
This story originally appeared in New York Focus, a nonprofit news publication investigating power in New York. Sign up for their newsletter here. New York lawmakers passed a landmark bill to slash greenhouse gas emissions, the state has missed several of the law’s major deadlines — and it’s about to miss another.
Chinese, Latin classes cut in new Ithaca schools budget, others at risk
ITHACA, N.Y. — Students in Ithaca will have fewer foreign language options available next year. The Ithaca City School District (ICSD) plans to eliminate both its Mandarin Chinese and Latin programs and has laid off the three teachers who teach the language classes. Ahead of a Tuesday night school...
Cornell tussles with Planning Board over artificial turf plan at new fieldhouse
ITHACA, N.Y. — A trio of projects were under review at Tuesday’s City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board, including two Cornell University proposals and continued review of an expansive mixed-use proposal for the former New York State Department of Transportation site on the Ithaca waterfront. One of...
Debate continues over “good cause eviction” legislation before July vote
ITHACA, N.Y. — A public hearing spurred another round of local debate over the “good cause” eviction legislation, which would require landlords to provide causation for evicting tenants, before Common Council votes on the law next month. The public hearing over the controversial law’s future featured over...
Dryden-owned internet service to use $9M in state funding to expand coverage to Caroline
DRYDEN, N.Y. — Dryden Fiber, the only municipally owned and operated internet service provider in New York, received a $8.9 million grant from the state’s broadband agency this week to expand the network’s reach to Dryden residents and to those in the nearby Town of Caroline. At...
Ithaca College Health Center now billing for sexual and mental health services
ITHACA N.Y. — The Cayuga Health Center at Ithaca College will now bill students’ insurance for mental health and sexual health clinical office visits, college leadership announced this month, a change from the school’s previous policy. The school also plans to add a new health insurance navigator...
Harmful algal blooms return to Cayuga Lake
ITHACA, N.Y. — Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have returned to Cayuga Lake, with three reported in the last month. In response, Tompkins County Whole Health has urged those visiting or swimming in the lake to be vigilant while the hot weather continues in a health alert sent Monday. The...
The Ithaca Voice
5K+
Posts
10M+
Views
The Ithaca Voice is a nonprofit digital news site with a mission to improve civic and political understanding in Ithaca and Tompkins County by publishing and sustaining in-depth, educational, rigorous, timely and ethical journalism that all residents can access free of charge online.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.