Good morning, Ithaca.

Ithaca's Trade Design Build was named the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's CO-100 Top Small Business of 2026 and received $25,000 after winning at an awards gala on Oct.

20 in Washington, D.C.; the firm's three partners said the honor recognizes their staff's work (Gideon Stone, Michael Barnoski, Chris Willett).

Smart Tart Froyo is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. seven days a week at Triphammer Marketplace, offering a self-serve wall of a dozen Chobani flavors, pay-by-the-ounce at 74¢ per ounce, dairy-free mango, and a toppings bar with fruit, candy, boba pearls + whipped cream; bubble tea is coming soon.

Cornell will roll out free access to AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini) to Ithaca campus and Cornell Tech faculty, staff, and Ph.D. students in November, with master's and undergraduates getting access in early 2027; users must opt in, complete introductory training, and Cornell accounts won't train models.

Third graders at Cayuga Heights Elementary were shown human rights videos with violent imagery during the week of Oct.

5 that the district now says were sponsored by the Church of Scientology; the school stopped using the materials and an investigation into vetting and parent notification is underway.

Cornell astronomy researcher Julie Rathbun launched the 2026 Planetary Science Workforce Survey Oct.

27 at the American Astronomical Society Division of Planetary Science meeting (DPS) to collect demographics, training, and employment data to assess diversity and career trends.

The Newfield Central School District will make Ian Valentine its athletics director, adding the role to his duties as Dean of Students and football coach; his AD job begins Sunday, Nov.

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Cornell received a three-year, $750,000 grant from Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative to study how community-engaged learning builds cultural humility and to fund an adapted eCornell course, a faculty institute, internal grants, a university working group, and a research fellow over the next three years.

Cornell has named alumnus Francis Fukuyama ’74 the inaugural Freedom and Free Societies Professor; he will teach GOVT 3334 and give a public lecture during March 1-5, 2027, with the lecture on March 5, and the one-credit course is capped at 25 students.

Newfield Central School District will refine its cell phone ban (bell-to-bell) after board discussion on Oct.

14, as a high school survey found 92% understand expectations but 76% want fairer enforcement; administrators will pilot wired headphones during lunch so students can stream music on school-issued laptops.

Dryden will receive $3 million to extend the Rail Trail with a new 1.1-mile segment, make 3.2 miles ADA accessible, and add parking, crossings, rest landings, signage and stone-dust surfacing; Tompkins Cortland Community College won $8,000 to build an outdoor learning space near its athletics facility, due in spring.

Comfort Keepers in Cortland offers personalized nonmedical in-home care across Tompkins, Cortland, Broome, Tioga and Schuyler counties, from two-hour visits to 24-hour support, including dementia care, meal prep, transportation and a new morning check-in program to help older adults remain safely at home + veteran discount.

Section 4 soccer championships will be played Thursday, Oct.

29: Class AAA doubleheader at Horseheads High (girls 5:30 p.m., boys 7:15 p.m.) and Class AA doubleheader at Waverly Memorial Stadium (girls 5:30 p.m., boys 7:15 p.m.); winners advance to regional/state quarterfinals Saturday, Nov. 7 at Chenango Valley.