Daily
Ithaca
Thursday, January 15th, 2026
Good morning, Ithaca. Here's your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 15th of January.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ State Senator Lea Webb announced on Wednesday, Jan. 14 that the Ithaca YMCA received $6,267,200 from the NY SWIMS Grant to demolish and rebuild its pool on Graham Road, upgrade locker rooms, and add a hydrotherapy spa to boost safety and accessibility. WENY
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Spencer Gifts, one of the original stores at the Shops at Ithaca Mall, will close this Sunday at 5 p.m. at its 40 Catherwood Road location (in the Village of Lansing) as shoppers shift to its Arnot Mall outlet or online orders. 14850
- ➤ Cornell research shows companies suffer significant talent loss when they commit stakeholder violations, with turnover rising from 3.9% to over 10% as penalties increase. The study analyzed eight years of data from 735 public firms and reveals hidden costs beyond fines. Cornell Chronicle
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Jason Ostrowski and local musicians will perform the Elton John tribute ‘Bennie and the Rest’ (tickets $35) at the Hangar Theatre on Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the In Flight Entertainment Series. Tompkins Weekly
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Cornell’s graduate student enrollment dropped by 142, including 209 fewer first-year students from Fall 2024 to Fall 2025, according to Institutional Research and Planning. CGSU and GPSA raised concerns (linking Arts and Sciences budget cuts and higher H-1B fees) that could affect teaching and research support. The Cornell Daily Sun
- ➤ Cornell may boost its digital agriculture programs with part of a $30 million settlement funding — supporting research to lower farming costs and increase efficiency through tech investments while enhancing cross-disciplinary projects and student learning opportunities. The Cornell Daily Sun
- ➤ Living Essence Massage Institute opened on Tuesday, Jan. 13 in Trumansburg. The renovated school at (1891 State Route 96) provides full-time massage therapy education and a public clinic for student practice. 607 News Now
- ➤ Digital humanities scholars at Cornell used AI + computational methods to mine maps from nearly 100,000 digitized 19th and early 20th century books. They discovered that only 1.7% of novels include maps and plan to improve library catalog records for future literary studies. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ Cornell’s M.D. program applications dropped from a peak of 464 in 2021-2022 to 379 in 2024-2025—yet the university leads Ivy League submissions with 385 applications for the 2025–2026 cycle. The Cornell Daily Sun
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Researchers from Cornell and 25 colleagues published a review in Reviews of Geophysics that examines how climate interventions such as CO2 removal and solar radiation modification may affect marine ecosystems. They stress more studies are needed to fill gaps and guide protective actions (especially for fisheries). Cornell Chronicle
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Flu cases dropped from last week while COVID counts held steady & RSV numbers increased moderately, remaining below last year’s levels in Tompkins County and nearby areas as students return. 14850
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ On December 27, local Ithaca players and alumni joined rival teams at Corning YMCA for the fourth annual Lurie Cup indoor soccer tournament, raising over $11,200 for Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ The Cornell women’s basketball team set a record by scoring 106—27 over SUNY Delhi Tuesday at Newman Arena, marking the first time they scored over 100 points. The team will host Brown Saturday at 1:00 p.m. as it focuses on Ivy League play. The Cornell Daily Sun
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Live Music – The Soul Benders
6-8 p.m. — Hopshire Farm and Brewery — Free entry — Experience powerful blues and rock from the acclaimed Ithaca-based band The Soul Benders.
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Sky Stories - The Round Time
7:30-9:00 p.m. — The Cherry Arts — Ticketed event — Experience the world premiere of Round Time, an aerial showcase of old rhythms and new cycles performed by talented female aerialists.
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Ithaca Ballet: WinterDance 2026
Evening of contemporary dance — 7 p.m. — State Theatre of Ithaca — Ticket prices vary — Celebrate 65 years of Ithaca Ballet with an evening of innovative choreography and performances by alumni dancers.
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Princeton Tigers at Cornell Big Red Women's Basketball
5-8 p.m. — Newman Arena — VIP tickets available — Experience college basketball with premium seating and special game day packages.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
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