Daily
Ithaca
Friday, December 19th, 2025
Good morning, Ithaca. Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 19th of December.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ The West Village Community Drop-In (a free childcare initiative for children 18 months to 5 years) is scheduled to open in March at the West Village community center in West Hill; it will run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon for up to 16 children. Ithaca.com
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Songs in Flight, a cycle of art songs based on Cornell’s Freedom on the Move project, premiered in January 2023 and brings to life stories from runaway slave ads using poems by Tsitsi Ella Jaji. Composer Shawn Okpebholo is now nominated for Best Contemporary Classical Composition at the 2026 Grammys. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ IC professor Erica Soto premiered her short film 'Someday' on Nov. 22 at The Producers’ Club in Manhattan after filming it in one day in Brooklyn on May 10 — the film's pre-screening was followed by an engaging Q&A that recognized contributions from film students and shared plans for festival showings. The Ithacan
- ➤ The Ithaca Voice releases a bonus Backstory episode — former editor Matt Butler reflects on nearly a decade of local journalism and shares insights on sports, government, and the future of news. The program is pausing its regular schedule for big changes and will return next year. The Ithaca Voice
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ At Cornell, researchers found that nucleosomes lower DNA twisting stress to help turn genes on. Their study, published Dec. 18 in Science, may open new paths to understanding how cells work. Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ The Semlitz Family Sustainability Fellows program unites Cornell business and science students in a year-long fellowship to blend sustainability research with market strategies at Cornell, and applications for the next cohort will open in January (2026). Cornell Chronicle
- ➤ Cornell Engineering scientists led an international research expedition that drilled 7,906 m into the Japan Trench in 2024 to show how a 30-meter clay layer helped drive the unusual 2011 megaquake — a finding published in Science that may boost tsunami hazard assessments for coastal communities. Cornell Chronicle
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ On Dec. 18, Finger Lakes Land Trust announced the purchase of 108 acres bordering Yellow Barn State Forest in Dryden; it will transfer the land to New York State to expand the forest + strengthen the Emerald Necklace, acquiring the parcel from the Van Soest family using Opportunity Fund money. 607 News Now
- ➤ Tompkins County recycling services will adjust for the holidays. The Hancock Street Food Scraps Drop Spot in Ithaca closes on Dec. 24, while the Newfield Drop Spot and the Recycling and Solid Waste Center & Materials Management Office close on Dec. 25 with curbside collections delayed for the week. 607 News Now
- ➤ Cornell Botanic Gardens have developed ash trees resistant to the pest emerald ash borer as part of the Trees in Peril project. Researchers are propagating the trees at the New York State propagation center — asking local citizen scientists to help locate wild lingering ash trees. WENY
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Tompkins County Public Library named longtime Tucson librarian Emerson DeMeester-Lane as its new director beginning Jan. 12. He, a New York native, plans to meet with community members and staff soon to address concerns+ the board praised his progressive leadership. The Ithaca Voice
- ➤ New York's state Public Service Commission approved Verizon's $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications, paving the way for a $150 million broadband expansion investment in the region. The merger + bundled mobile and internet services aims to improve connectivity for residents. WENY
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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.
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Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks at Cornell Big Red Men's Hockey
7-8:30 p.m. — Lynah Rink — Tickets starting at $15 — Catch an exciting NCAA hockey matchup as the Nanooks take on the Big Red in Ithaca.
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No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.
Know who said this? Send us an email!
Reveal the authorAbout Daily Ithaca
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