Ithaca Week

04/05/2024

Are you in Ithaca for the this week? Journalist Gabriella Baiano has the details for what you can do to celebrate the astronomical event in the area in her most recent story.

04/05/2024

Journalist Alecia Solorzano is covering Civic Ensemble's ReEntry Theatre program in her newest article for Ithaca Week — here's what she has to say about the experience. Go to our website to read about Civic Ensemble's first original play debuting this May!

03/23/2024

Covering education during National Reading Month, reporter Chloe Johnston highlights literary initiatives within schools and higher education in Tompkins County. Click the link below to read her newest article and see what resources are available near you.

ITHACA, N.Y. — Throughout March, Americans are celebrating National Reading Month. This comes in the midst of concern from parents and educators regarding national student literacy after the COVID-19 lockdowns and virtual schooling. As a result,

03/23/2024

This week, journalist Gabriella Baiano spoke with Ithaca locals and professors from Cornell University to discuss the rise in cost of groceries as they offered their own tips on how to save. To learn more about why groceries are becoming more expensive and receive some friendly tips to help save money, check out the article below!

  Consumers in Ithaca and across the country have been finding it hard to put food on the table with record high inflation. “I’ve been more aware of what I’m buying, sometimes I have to

03/23/2024

This week, journalist Carolina Cedraschi reports on safety in the downtown Ithaca area following a spike in crime-related 911 calls in the past year. After speaking with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, the Ithaca Police Department and local business owners, Carolina offers clarity on what actions are being taken to keep downtown Ithaca safe.

  Photo of the Downtown Ithaca Commons (Photo by Carolina Cedraschi/Ithaca Week) Police agree that safety is a major issue in downtown Ithaca — and point to understaffing as the major roadblock. Earlier this month

03/23/2024

This week our reporter, Lorien Tyne, investigated fare issues regarding fare collection on Tcat buses. Faulty equipment and bugs in fare software have led to missed and uncollected fares. Read up on this issue on our website.

Cornell sophomore Abigail McCarthy, who uses Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) frequently, said she has noticed a substantial number of fareboxes that are “out of order” but still allow students to ride the routes. “I

03/23/2024

Our reporter, Rachel Williams, brings us a story this week about the Ground Swell Center. Focusing on sustainable agriculture and making farmers out of community members, the center does important work to both support farmers and educate the public. Visit our website to read!

The Agriculture Council of America designated March 19 National Ag Day this year, with a theme of “Agriculture: Growing a Climate for Tomorrow”. The holiday highlights the significance of agriculture in daily life with an

03/23/2024

This week, our reporter Alecia Solorzano bring us a story about a play produced by the Kitchen Theater Company. Dealing with the heavy topic of immigration, a colleague of the playwright talks with Alecia on how the experiences in Martyna Majok’s own life manifest in the play and how the production navigates these serious themes. To read this week’s story, visit our website.

Seated in The Kitchen Theatre about to watch Sanctuary City by Martyna Majok. A quick glimpse at the set. (Photo by Alecia Solorzano/Ithaca Week) When people think of playwrights, it’s easy to think of people

03/21/2024

Follow students in Professor Allison Roth Frisch's Mobile Social Journalism class as they live-blog from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ithaca College Campus Center https://www.ithacaweek-ic.com/live-coverage-ed-tech-day-2024/

03/01/2024

Drag Story Hour took place during the annual Ithaca Loves Teachers celebration, and our reporter Chloe Johnston covered the event. Read more about Drag Story Hour hosted by Buffalo Street Books downtown Ithaca, and what the event means to the Ithaca community.

Education and Entertainment Buffalo Street Books is one of the many businesses hosting educators and their families for Ithaca Loves Teachers, an annual celebration that began in 2005, according to the Ithaca Times. In partnership

03/01/2024

From Peru to Ithaca, a chocolate workshop centered around sustainability took place over Valentine’s weekend and our reporter Rachel Williams covered the event. Learn about the history of chocolate and chocolate consumption in Rachel's latest piece at our website!

Valentine’s Day is among the most popular holidays for chocolate consumption, with 92% of American participants planning on including sweets in their celebration despite recent inflation because of climate-induced cacao shortages. Ithaca native Ava Holmes

02/29/2024

Next up, Reporter Alecia Solorzano wrote a piece that is fixated Civic Ensemble, a theatre organization that focuses specifically on community engagement and addressing important issues in the Tompkins County area. In the piece, Alecia discusses each of the different programs, how a production and show is put on, and each of the upcoming events. Read more on Alecia's story regarding community and the arts below!

Civic Ensemble coordinators observe performances alongside student actors at a Youth Forum Theatre Troupe workshop. Photo by Alecia Solorzano/Ithaca Week Ithaca, N.Y. - Civic Ensemble is a nonprofit theatre organization performing in Ithaca, New York

02/29/2024

Happy Ithaca Week! To start, Reporter Lorien Tyne has written a piece on healthcare access and how the Ithaca Common Council has previously passed resolutions in order for abortion access, reproductive healthcare, and transgender healthcare. In her article, She spoke to Genevieve Rand, a transgender woman and member of the National Democratic Socialists of America who had plenty to say on community, healthcare, and support from outside Ithacans. Read more on the story regarding legislation below.

ITHACA, NY — As all levels of government continue to pass legislation to shield and limit healthcare access for abortions and gender-affirming care in a battle of bodily autonomy, the Ithaca Common Council has passed

12/01/2023

A solo art show exhibit at the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County was held from Nov. 2 to Nov. 25 called "You ART Here: Paintings and Memories from Two Cultures." Heaven Cuevas spoke with the local Argentinian artist, Fernanda Medina, and her son on how her art reflects motherhood, culture and identity as an immigrant in America. Read the full story here:

    Fernanda Medina is a local Argentinian artist, and her solo art show at the Community Arts Partnership was held on Nov. 2. The current gallery is open until November 25, and the name

11/30/2023

The potential sale of the Cargill salt mine underneath Cayuga Lake has caused many environmentalists to protest after raised concerns about salinity levels and a lack of completion of environmental tests. Reporter Joshua Pantano spoke with an environmental researcher for CLEAN - Cayuga Lake Environmental Action Now and a Tompkins County Legislator about the impacts the mine has on Cayuga Lake. Read the full story here:

Global food corporation Cargill could be planning to sell their salt mine underneath Cayuga Lake, according to an August report from The Deal. However, environmental activists, elected officials and local business owners have protested the

11/29/2023

Cornell University Women's Hockey and Cornell Big Red Mens Hockey has been hosting their second annual Toys for Tots drive this holiday season.

Ithaca Week reporter Jess Moskowitz spoke to players and members of the the Cornell campus community about the impact of the drive has. Read their full story here:

If you attend a Cornell Hockey home game this season, you will find Toys for Tots bins located inside Lynah Rink, right outside the entrance to the ice. This is Cornell Athletics’ second annual Toys

11/28/2023

With over 9,000 miles of land, the Finger Lakes region draws in locals and tourists for recreational activities. Ithaca Week reporter Caroline Grass spoke to local conservation groups like the Finger Lakes Land Trust about the importance of land preservation. Read the full story here:

Programs help safeguard natural habitat and assist people in enjoying the outdoors. The Finger Lakes region stretches over 9,000 square miles and recreation opportunities draw both locals and tourists to the area. The 11 Finger

11/11/2023

The Cornell Concert Series is celebrating its 120th year and Ithaca Week reporter Bec Legato talked with musicians Frank Vignola and Tessa Lark who performed tonight.
Read the full story about the series bringing music to Ithaca here:

With the 120th Anniversary of The Cornell Concert Series this year, it continues to provide opportunities for students and locals to engage with professionals of their particular genres. With Frank Vignola and Tessa Lark set

11/10/2023

Journalist Clare Shanahan looked into the Farm Bill which is a package of legislation passed every five years for her newest story on Ithaca Week. She specifically looked at SNAP benefits and the impact on Tompkins County. Hear how she approached covering this topic.

11/10/2023

Ithaca Week reporter Syd Pierre reported on the local mending group Make Mends Meet for her last article of the semester. Kathrin Achenbach, organizer of the event, talked about how mending clothes doesn't have to be a gendered activity and that building community is the most important part of the events.

Read the full story here:

“I think that when you repair clothing, this extends to repairing something else,” Kathrin Achenbach, the organizer of Make Mends Meet, said. Achenbach has been hosting mending circles at the Soil Factory since March 2023

10/27/2023

The Learning Farm is an educational opportunity for people to learn more about sustainability and farming through hands-on experience with different volunteer opportunities and after-school programs. Read more from Caroline Grass below!

10/27/2023

Heaven Cuevas '24 is covering art as resistance for Ithaca Week this semester. We sat down with her to discuss her latest story looking at the Hair • Color • Art studio in Ithaca, and how it goes beyond traditional salons to create a space for local artists to display their work.

10/27/2023

The stylists at Hair•Color•Art dabble in more than just hair coloring. Part salon, part art gallery — Ithaca Week reporter Heaven Cuevas sat down with owner Kristen Dutcher to discuss her creative process and the importance of the salon in the community. Read about it here:

  Kristen Dutcher is an Ithaca local artist, hair stylist, and business owner. She is most known for her salon called Hair Color Art in Press Bay Court. However, what makes Dutcher and her salon

10/27/2023

Inbaayini Anbarasan '24 is covering religion in Ithaca for Ithaca Week this semester. We sat down with her to discuss her latest story on the St James AME Zion Church in Ithaca and its historical and contemporary role in the community.

10/24/2023

Happy 190th anniversary to the St James AME Zion Church! Ithaca Week reporter Inbaayini Anbarasan covered the church's role on the Underground Railroad and its present-day impact on the Ithaca community. Read about it here:

From Oct. 13—15, the St. James A.M.E. Zion Church in Ithaca recently celebrated its 190th anniversary. A historic landmark, St. James is not only Ithaca’s oldest church structure but is also one of the African

10/13/2023

Ithaca Week reporter Emma Kersting, who's beat this semester is community reporting, just wrote a story about the Memorandum of Understanding that has been causing disagreements and protests within the community. Emma sat down with us to tell her more about her story and the process of writing it!

10/13/2023

For the past couple of weeks, Ithaca Week reporter Emma Kersting has been on the field reporting and attending rallies to follow the story of a "Memorandum of Understanding" that has been causing disagreements between Cornell University and the City of Ithaca's common council. Read Emma's story now to find out more!

Cornell University and the City of Ithaca’s Common Council have been going back and forth over a Memorandum of Understanding. The Ithaca community has been rallying against Cornell, insisting that Cornell University must pay its

09/30/2023

This past week Caroline Grass covered The Mini Grant Program at Ithaca and the importance of funding local environmental organizations to help benefit the community that is Tompkins County. She discusses reporting on the story and her favorite part in the process!

09/29/2023

Have you been to the Tompkins County Public Library in downtown Ithaca? Check out the program they offer, "Friends of the Library" highlighted by
Emma Kersting on .
Read Emma’s story here:

The Tompkins County Public Library (TCPL) is the largest public library in the Finger Lakes Area. Along with other members of the Finger Lakes Library System, TCPL receives generous funding from the Friends of the