Good morning, Ithaca.

Dr. Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Executive Director of the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, will be honored at the Tompkins County Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner on Dec.

11 at Our Venue (formerly Coltivare) in Ithaca. The award recognizes her decades of service in advancing equity, inclusion, and community well-being.

Local resident Amber Markus sent a letter urging officials to protect mature trees and preserve Ithaca’s character amid ongoing high-rise expansion projects — a call for careful planning that seeks to safeguard tree-lined streets and open skies.

Southworth Library in Dryden will host a family holiday celebration on Saturday with crafts, cookies, a popcorn buffet, free ornaments and books (while supplies last) and Santa arriving at 11:30 a.m. as part of Dryden’s daylong festivities.

The Watershed and The Downstairs will close by year’s end after serving Ithaca since 2016+2020, with owner Ashley Cake saying Tuesday, Dec.

23 will be their final night of business. Rising labor costs have forced the venues to end their living wage model.

Country singer Jessica Lynn will perform her annual “A Very Merry Classic Christmas” tour at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec.

7 at the State Theatre in Ithaca. The event will feature local dancers, musicians, and youth performers and support Toys for Tots in partnership with Maxell.

Lorin Warnick, Cornell Veterinary College dean, will step down on June 30, 2026, after overseeing extensive growth in research funding, new departments (including Public and Ecosystem Health) and enhanced clinical training programs.

Provost Kavita Bala has begun a search for his successor.

On Dec. 2, the Ithaca College Faculty Council met in the Taughannock Falls Room to approve policy updates.

The meeting set a new rule that professors must use ithaca.edu email addresses starting January 2026 to boost cybersecurity, reviewed library subscription cuts, and confirmed new leadership roles.

At Ithaca College, the Fall 2025 AI Mini Grant Colloquium on Dec.

1 showcased five professors who each received $500 to explore ways of using AI in their classes - part of an ongoing push to boost digital literacy in teaching.

Cornell’s NanoScale Science and Technology Facility held its annual meeting on Nov.

18 at the Statler Hotel, where researchers, industry partners & students learned about advances in nanofabrication, photonics, and quantum devices that may boost semiconductor progress.

A new study from ILR School (Cornell) shows women may climb the workplace ladder more easily by using subtle, status-focused strategies rather than overt power moves.

Researchers say adopting growth mindsets could reduce stereotypes and help improve leadership opportunities for female employees.

Researchers at Cornell developed a new XHEMT transistor using an aluminum nitride substrate (made with help from an Albany firm) to reduce gallium use and boost high-power wireless performance.

The work was detailed Nov. 29 and targets improvements for 5G and emerging 6G radio frequency systems.

On Dec. 3, Cornell held a global Employee Excellence Awards ceremony that honored more than 75 staff from Ithaca, New York City and Qatar (including awards like Culture of Belonging and Game Changer) at the Statler Ballroom and online.

The program received 296 nominations across eight categories to spotlight exceptional contributions.

Federal officials said SNAP administrative funds in New York may be withheld as early as next week if states do not comply with federal requests for recipient data + Gov. Hochul criticized the plan on social media while the USDA must appeal by Dec.

15.

Over 350 registered nurses at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca are forming the new Cayuga-United CWA union — union officials said understaffing since COVID has led to poor working conditions and the group seeks a contract for safe staffing.

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.