Daily
Ithaca
Wednesday, May 13th, 2026
Good morning, Ithaca. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 13th of May.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Finger Lakes ReUse will move from its crowded Triphammer Marketplace to a 48,000 sqft former Big Lots at Cayuga Shopping Center in June, where the nonprofit will consolidate donation intake+retail operations to better handle growing donations. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ Neighbors are transforming a disused rail line into the Coddington Valley Rail Trail through monthly volunteer work parties along Cottington Road. The Friends of the Coddington Valley Rail Trail have scheduled the next session (lasting about two hours) for June 6 at 10 a.m., and the community is anticipating progress. Tompkins Weekly
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ The Grow-NY competition is offering a $3 million prize pool to food and ag startups in upstate; applications will close at 5 p.m. on May 15. Selected finalists will receive 10 weeks of mentorship + training before a November pitch event. Ithaca Journal
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Dryden Central School District has proposed a $50.3M budget for the next school year with a 3.1% tax levy increase. Voters will decide on Tuesday, May 19 at the middle/high school auditorium (118 Freeville Rd) in Dryden, and will also vote on two propositions and three board candidates. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ Ithaca City School District will let voters decide a revised school repair plan on May 19, scaling the original proposal down to address leaky roofs, overheated classrooms and unsafe labs. The Ithaca Voice
- ➤ Three local colleges hold graduation ceremonies soon. Tompkins Cortland Community College celebrates its ceremony Tuesday, May 19 (6 p.m.) at its gym, Ithaca College hosts commencements Saturday and Sunday with a fireworks show, and Cornell holds twin ceremonies on Saturday, May 23 at Schoellkopf Field. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ Cornell seniors Kevin Chang and Ana Hoffman Sole used study abroad to gain skills — Chang enhanced his experience in Singapore before starting a business analyst role in New York, while Hoffman Sole sailed to study marine life and will intern on a research boat this summer. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ Cornell astronomers used the Tomographic Ionized-carbon Mapping Experiment to capture faint light from early galaxies and test mapping techniques at the Arizona Radio Observatory during the 2021-22 season; their findings confirm the instrument is ready to study future targets. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ Newfield voters will decide on a proposed $28.2M school budget for next school year on May 19 that includes a 6.5% spending increase, a 2.9% tax levy hike, and school supplies for every student while also electing three board candidates. The changes aim to revamp summer school — a nine-day program — and teacher mentorship practices. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ During the spring, Brooks School students traveled to Albany as part of the State Policy Advocacy Clinic to advocate for several bills including proposals on consumer protection and government transparency (working closely with legislators and community partners). Their efforts aimed to drive meaningful policy change across New York. Cornell Chronicle
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Cornell researchers found that adding 0.5% grape pomace (a winemaking byproduct) to broiler diets nearly matches antibiotic benefits by improving weight gain and gut health, and they will next test the additive in larger field trials. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ ILR School’s Climate Jobs Institute held an event at Hyatt Place Albany-Downtown on May 11 to introduce a primer on mass timber that explains how engineered wood products can lower emissions, create high quality jobs, and spur affordable housing. Didi Barrett and Jim Mason from Carpenters Local 277 joined the panel. Cornell Chronicle
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Experts warn that this tick season may see a surge in tick bites and Lyme disease after a mild winter and early warm temperatures, so Ithaca residents should protect themselves outdoors (by checking for ticks and wearing long-sleeved clothes) to reduce risks. Ithaca Journal
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Ithaca's boys' tennis team won the 2026 Southern Tier Athletic Conference title on May 11 by defeating Oneonta 6-1 — they will head to sectionals in Corning on May 14. Ithaca Journal
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Eileen Ivers & The Brigideens
8-10:30 p.m. — Hangar Theatre — Ticket required — Experience the fiery sounds of Grammy-winning Eileen Ivers and her all-female band, The Brigideens.
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Leading with Intention Workshop by Amber Alpizar
1:30-4:30 p.m. — Tompkins County Public Library — Registration required — Equip yourself with tools to lead with compassion and accountability amidst uncertainty.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.
~ Pablo Picasso
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