Daily
Ithaca
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025
Good morning, Ithaca. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 3rd of December.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ The Hindu temple room on the second floor of Anabel Taylor Hall was inaugurated on Sept. 6 with about 300 people and now offers a larger space for weekly prayer and meditation—replacing the previous cramped room. Hindu Student Council members and campus officials say the space was built with $24,000 in donations to support regular services and bring together devotees from near and far. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ Newfield will host its 8th annual Christmas tree lighting celebration on Dec. 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Masonic Temple on Main Street—residents will decorate the tree with homemade ornaments, enjoy donated hot food and listen to live carols. Newfield 9th grader Sophia Heffron performed with her dance troupe in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 27—she felt proud representing her town on a national stage. Tompkins Weekly
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Trader Joe’s in Ithaca (located at 744 S. Meadow St.) received A grades from state food safety inspections in 2023 and 2024 after opening in 2021. Ithaca Journal
- ➤ Ithaca startup REEgen uses bacteria to recover rare earth metals from waste instead of harsh chemicals — the company won a $150,000 prize at FuzeHub and will use the funds to improve its BioREEcover process, aiming to produce domestic rare earth products by the end of 2026. Tompkins Weekly
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Old Chatham Creamery’s cheddar was ranked among the top 14 cheeses at the World Cheese Awards in Bern from 5,244 entries last month, making it the only US creamery honored, and head cheesemaker Jeremiah Timmins said his winning wheel—made last year—boosted local demand at Ithaca Farmers Market and regional retailers. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ The Ithaca College Concert Band performed last night at Ford Hall on South Hill at 8:15 p.m.—the free admission show welcomed local music fans. 607 News Now
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Kylie Williamson ’26 from Cornell has been named Navy and Marines Student of the Year by Navy Federal Credit Union, making her the first Cornell student to earn the award. She leads 48 midshipmen in the Navy ROTC unit and will use her physics studies on a nuclear submarine while receiving $6,500 for graduate expenses+ her unit secures an extra $5,000 for support. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ Last week, Freeville Elementary celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Freeville Feast—an event where students prepared a homemade Thanksgiving meal and learned teamwork and cooking skills. The tradition began decades ago as a classroom project and now unites students, teachers, and families in a special celebration. Tompkins Weekly
- ➤ Today, Cornell Engineering launched a new research pillar that is transforming how engineering education is delivered and how faculty teaching practices are developed. The program, boosted by the recruitment of Allison Godwin and supported by a five-year NSF RED grant — aimed at reshaping undergraduate education nationwide — is set to drive major changes across the department. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ The Cornell Center for Social Sciences awarded fall grants to 23 projects from 11 departments at Cornell to help faculty secure over $50M in external research support—this funding boosts bold research and fosters cross-disciplinary partnerships with a new proposal round opening in Spring soon. Cornell Chronicle
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Cornell scientists discovered a new way to make hydrogen peroxide from sunlight, water and air instead of a fossil fuel process. The lab study published in Nature Communications shows that light responsive materials may lead to local, safer production for tasks like bleaching paper and treating water—researchers are now working to scale up the method. Cornell Chronicle
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Tompkins County opened its Code Blue shelter this winter on Cherry Street in the West End on November 24. Run by Volunteers of America, the shelter houses 60 people normally with capacity for 100, offers warming center services from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Code Blue support from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m.—ADA-accessible bathrooms are not available, so wheelchair users are housed in local hotels. The Ithaca Voice
- ➤ Upstate New York Representative Josh Riley is fighting a rural healthcare crisis by sponsoring bipartisan bills that aim to stabilize hospitals, boost nurse pay, and respond to insurance companies dropping Medicare Advantage plans—he is also working with colleagues to extend tax credits so more people can afford care. His efforts target better health care in rural communities and hold special interests accountable. Tompkins Weekly
-
Macro Workshop with Anmol Bhandari
11:40 AM - 12:55 PM — Ives Hall — No entry fee — Explore macroeconomic theories and applications with a leading economist in an interactive workshop.
-
Béla Fleck Concert
8:00-9:30 p.m. — State Theatre of Ithaca — Tickets required — Experience an evening of innovative music featuring Béla Fleck and his talented ensemble.
-
The Wood Brothers Concert
8:00-9:30 p.m. — State Theatre of Ithaca — Tickets available — Experience the soulful folk sounds of The Wood Brothers in the heart of Ithaca.
-
A Very Merry Classic Christmas with Jessica Lynn
7:00-8:30 p.m. — State Theatre of Ithaca — Ticket prices vary — Enjoy a festive holiday concert featuring award-winning artist Jessica Lynn.
-
An Evening with Evan Horne
8-10 p.m. — Kitchen Theatre Company — $20 — Experience the immersive sounds of cinematic-folk artist Evan Horne in an intimate setting.
-
New Year's Eve Dance Party
8:30 p.m. — Foundation of Light — Check event page for ticket details — Celebrate the new year with a night of games, raffles, and festive fun.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The only way out is through.
~ Robert Frost
About Daily Ithaca
Welcome to the Daily Ithaca, your community newsletter that's anything but snooze-worthy, packed with positive, impactful local news + events across the Ithaca, New York community. If you like the Daily Ithaca, support us by subscribing to our email newsletter and sharing us with your friends and family in Ithaca.
Advertising Opportunities
Advertising with us will make sure you stay at the top of everyone's mind—in Ithaca and across New York. You can learn more here. We'll work together to build a custom plan to hit your goals this year.
Alternatively, you can submit events, announcements, real estate listings, and job postings. We'll include them in our newsletter on whichever dates you like.
Community, delivered
Our hyper-local media company activates communities through daily email newsletters that curate the most positive, impactful local news + events – all for free.
Subscribe to Daily Ithaca
A free Ithaca community newsletter.
- Daily local news
- We curate the most positive, impactful local news + events.
- 6AM City
- A publication of 6AM City, the nation's leading local newsletter-first media network. Nominate your city.
© 6AM City Inc. 2025. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. Questions? Contact us here
Sitemap: https://dailyithaca.com/sitemap