Daily
Ithaca
Thursday, October 9th, 2025
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Good morning, Ithaca. Here's your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 9th of October.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Volunteers baked hundreds of pies on October 2nd for the 62nd annual Brooktondale Apple Festival, which will run on October 18th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.—the event raises funds to repair the community center’s aging roof. A final pie bee is scheduled for October 11th from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. when Ithaca College students will join in to help. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ Friends of the Tompkins County Library Book Sale returns on October 11 in Ithaca from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Esty Street Warehouse—sale hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday and Monday as the group asks locals to hold donations until November 15. 607 News Now
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ The Chamber announced on Oct.1 that it named Rob Montana as its new vice president—he was selected from over 100 candidates for his more than 20 years in communications and community journalism with Visit Ithaca and the Ithaca Times. He will work with CEO Peggy Coleman to guide strategic planning and manage initiatives that boost economic and workforce development in Tompkins County. Ithaca.com
DRINK NEWS
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EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Cornell doctoral student Kapil Khanal developed the open-source software package MarineHydro.jl (backed by Sandia National Laboratories) to help engineers quickly test floating offshore designs for renewable energy and ocean applications. The tool uses modern computing techniques to show how small design changes impact performance without lengthy simulations. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ Today, Cornell researchers built a programmable optical chip that can change light's color by merging photons—without a new design for each color. The proof-of-principle device was developed at the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility—potentially serving future optical communications. Cornell Chronicle
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ New York’s 2025 fall foliage report shows that Southern Tier colors are changing fast from Oct. 8 to 14—Chenango and Steuben counties are near peak while Delaware has passed its best colors. Other counties like Broome, Chemung, Tioga and Tompkins are still in transition. Ithaca Journal
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ At the Oct. 2 Expanded Budget Committee meeting, county legislators voted on several amendments to change the tax levy from 4.5% to 4.74% and reassign funds for airport projects, TCAT, sheriff’s office staffing and emergency response—these recommendations now await full legislative approval. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ State funding of nearly $4.5 million will modernize Next Generation 911 systems in Tompkins, Cortland, and Broome counties; Tompkins gets over $1.5 million, Cortland nearly $1.3 million, and Broome over $1.6 million—helping improve local emergency response. 607 News Now
- ➤ Mayor Cantelmo set up a citizen-led committee to review pay for city officials. The five-member group will compare current pay with job duties, living wage standards and practices in other cities—taking public input at a hearing to guide its recommendations. Tompkins Weekly
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Federal officials warn that Jocute Baby Loungers do not meet mandatory safety standards for infant sleep products—posing risks of serious injury or death—and advise caregivers to stop using them immediately. 607 News Now
- ➤ Persista Bio, a biotech startup based in Ithaca, is developing a new treatment for type 1 diabetes that uses a tiny capsule—protecting implanted cells from rejection—to help the cells work like a normal pancreas. The company has received a $2.1 million NIH grant and will test the system on large animals and build a human prototype over the next two years. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ COVID case counts dropped locally and statewide, with rates in Tompkins, Cortland, and Schuyler counties falling and hospitalizations decreasing for the first time since early July. Wastewater data remains unpublished as the state finalizes a lab upgrade—public reporting of results is expected to resume soon. 14850
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Blues Traveler Concert
8:00 – 9:30 PM — State Theatre of Ithaca — Tickets from $75 — Enjoy a night with the iconic Blues Traveler, famous for their high-energy performances.
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Calya Lea
7 p.m. — The Downstairs — $10/pwyc — Experience a cozy evening with live music in a vibrant venue.
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Jazz Mondays with Dave Davies RhythmMakers
5:30-8:30 p.m. — South Hill Cider — $5 suggested donation — Experience live jazz with local favorites while enjoying cider and food.
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Kathleen Edwards Concert
8-9:30 p.m. — Hangar Theatre — Tickets required — Experience the soulful sounds of Kathleen Edwards as she performs tracks from her latest album Total Freedom.
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Modest Mouse Concert
7-9 p.m. — State Theatre of Ithaca — Ticket prices vary — Catch Modest Mouse as they deliver their signature sound live after a successful tour with Pixies and Cat Power.
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Cornell Big Red Football vs Bucknell Bison
12-3 AM — Schoellkopf Field — Tickets available — Watch Cornell take on Bucknell in an exciting college football matchup.
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Dizgo Live Performance
8-11 p.m. — Deep Dive — $14 ADV / $20 DOS — Experience Dizgo’s cosmic sound with a blend of jamtronica, funk, and psychedelic rock.
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August Moon Spa's 20th Anniversary
Join us for an evening of community, connection, and celebration at August Moon Spa and La Tourelle. Enjoy live music, light fare and drinks.
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August Moon Spa's 20th Anniversary
Join us for an evening of community, connection, and celebration at August Moon Spa and La Tourelle. Enjoy live music, light fare and drinks.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
If you do what is easy, your life will be hard. If you do what is hard, your life will be easy.
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