Good morning, Ithaca.

The Groton American Legion dedicated its new digital sign to honor 2nd Vice-Commander Paul Koekebacker on Aug.

19 at Post 800 on Main Street. Officials praised his persistence and thanked community donors for covering most of the sign's cost.

After 12 years as a local shop, Sunny Days is closing its brick-and-mortar store on Labor Day to shift to an online business at sunnydaysny.com.

The store is holding a 26% off sale today from 2-6 p.m. at 171 East State Street, so customers can visit before it closes.

Claybird Studio in Dryden is expanding its space and membership program to offer more pottery classes, workshops and open studio time.

Beth Wright said the new room includes storage and a dedicated glaze room for members at the West Main Street building, adding room to support the growing arts community.

Cornell Cinema will launch its Fall 2026 season on Thursday, Aug.

27 with films spanning restored classics, animation, and documentary, including a digital restoration of Thelma & Louise and the Ithaca premiere of Indonesian trance film Levitating (reflecting a lineup that honors the global diversity of Cornell’s community).

The Reproductive Rights Film Festival returns in September with free film screenings and online programs in Ithaca — from Cinemapolis to college campuses — and begins on Tuesday, Sept.

8 with a virtual program.

Professor Robert Howarth, a Cornell educator in ecology and evolutionary biology, will retire in December after 30 years of service.

He will continue environmental research on coastal nutrient pollution and toxic cyanobacteria blooms in the Finger Lakes.

Cornell students begin a bright new fall semester today as they head to classes on campus; many carry charged devices and packed bags while navigating between lecture halls and study areas.

MARQUIS, a new Quantum Leap Challenge Institute funded with $27.9 million from the National Science Foundation, will bring together experts from Cornell and other institutions to work on advanced materials and fabrication methods for quantum processors.

The team will use Cornell’s NanoScale Facility to test its techniques.

Starting this fall, Cornell has launched an AI Critical Literacy Program for all first-year students that requires a two-hour Canvas course covering AI workings, ethical issues, and its impact on learning.

Other community members may enroll for personal interest & join the effort.

Researchers at Cornell’s CHESS conducted an autonomous X-ray experiment that sent live data to ORNL + guided its own next measurement at the Structural Materials Beamline.

The system may reduce beamtime while improving data quality for engineering materials research.

Cornell launches season two of its Research Matters video podcast today with 18 episodes exploring topics such as procrastination and health insurance design (each episode offers new insights).

New episodes will air every Tuesday at noon on Cornell Chronicle and major podcast platforms.

Three housing projects are expanding rental choices in Ithaca.

The Pinnacle has been fully occupied since Aug. 1 near the former Gun Factory site, The Ivy now rents in Collegetown, and The Meadow on Seneca will complete by Q4 2027 (providing mixed-income and supportive housing).