Good morning, Ithaca.

Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency Board awarded $40,000 to Collegetown Community Collective to develop a strategic plan for improving infrastructure, public safety, and local business.

The group meets weekly (Wednesdays at 1 p.m. at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church) and will use the funds to build a stronger foundation for Collegetown.

Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts reopens on June 18 with a free block party from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. after more than a decade of renovations restored its historic Greek Revival building with ADA upgrades and modern systems, setting the stage for a new season of arts events.

Daughters (Hijas) has been playing at Kitchen Theatre Company since June 4 and will run until June 14; the musical connects mother-daughter bonds with Argentina’s 1970s history through bilingual songs and dynamic staging.

Ithaca writers will present We Declare, a storytelling project inspired by the Declaration’s words, at Kitchen Theatre Company's Percy Browning Performance Space on June 27.

The free event features first-person stories, poetry and music and requires tickets.

The YMCA of Ithaca & Tompkins County received $100,000 from the Alliance of New York State YMCAs to offer free swim lessons for children ages 6 months to 12 years.

Lessons will run on a first-come, first-served basis with up to 24 sessions available from June 2026 to August 2027.

Tompkins Cortland Community College held its 57th commencement on May 19, celebrating 508 graduates while also honoring two distinguished alumni (Martha Hubbard, 1975 and Robert Pitman, 1989) for decades of service; officials and retiring professors shared remarks during the milestone ceremony.

Researchers at Cornell tested AI models’ ability to predict outcomes using full context and only facial cues+ they found models predicted outcomes better with full context while performance dropped to 44.5–53.8 percent on facial expressions.

Their work points to a need to improve robots’ social intelligence.

The Dryden Solar Express will run from July 7 to Aug.

13, delivering free books and meals to students at six community stops in Dryden. The summer program boosts literacy and ensures access to resources (updates on extreme weather will be posted online).

Ithaca College announced that deans Amy Falkner and Michael Johnson-Cramer will leave the college this summer — Johnson-Cramer departs on June 15 for the Coast Guard Academy and Falkner on June 30 to be near family.

Cornell researchers in Ithaca developed an electrochemical method to recover almost full battery power and cut recycling costs by 56%, and they plan industrial tests soon (the findings were published June 9).

A Cornell study published April 23 found that farmed eastern oysters are breeding with wild oysters in western and central Long Island Sound.

The research shows that traits like disease resistance (a product of aquaculture) may help restore wild oyster populations in New York waterways.

A Groton couple has claimed the $9.8 million NY LOTTO jackpot over a month after matching all six numbers on May 2, and they will each receive about $2.5 million after buying the winning ticket at the Speedway at 202 Main St. in Groton.

Beginning June 23, the Tompkins County Sheriff's Office will no longer accept unused medications and directs residents to dispose of unwanted drugs at local pharmacies or Cayuga Medical Center — federal drug takeback programs will continue in the spring and fall.

Ithaca Voice’s Backstory examined the housing crisis affecting older residents on fixed incomes, revealing rising rents and limited rental options that force tough choices (as experienced by longtime resident Kathy Bernson).

The episode highlighted clear challenges for locals in today's competitive market.

Stitch Club

1–3 p.m. — Tompkins County Public Library — Free entry — Gather for a creative afternoon of stitching, sharing skills, and working on projects.

Blaque Dynamite Live Performance

7-11:30 p.m. — The Nocturnal Café — $14 adv/$20 dos — Experience Grammy-nominated artist Blaque Dynamite blending jazz, funk, and more in an unforgettable live show.

One Night With You

7-9 p.m. — K-HOUSE Karaoke & Arts Hub — Enjoy dinner with Elvis singing classic tunes.

Ithaca Reggae Fest 2026

Live Music — June 26-28 — Stewart Park — Tickets available — Experience the vibrant rhythms of The Skatalites and other reggae artists at this lively festival.