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Ithaca in 3: Three Things to Know This Week 6/1
Here’s what’s on our radar for the week starting Monday, June 1: 1. Last call for Ithaca advisory committee applicationsMonday is the deadline to apply for Ithaca’s new mayoral advisory groups. The city is looking for community input on housing quality and affordability, arts and culture, business and workforce development, and transportation and transit.More info: https://www.cityofithacany.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=1 2. Ithaca’s construction season is underwayThe city says i
Jun 11 min read
When a College Town Feels Less Safe: Personal Safety, Trust, and Community After Tragedy
Photo by David Yu Ithaca is the kind of place where people want to believe they can walk home from a show, meet a new friend, rent a first apartment, and begin an independent life with more excitement than fear. That is part of the promise of a college town. It feels open. It feels connected. It feels young. It is full of people arriving, leaving, studying, working, starting over, and figuring out who they are becoming. But this weekend, that feeling was shaken. The killing o
May 264 min read
Ithaca in 3: Three Things to Know This Week (5/25)
Here’s what’s on our radar for the week starting Monday, May 25: 1. Ithaca Festival kicks off ThursdayThe parade starts at 6 p.m. on Cayuga Street, followed by the kickoff party at Bernie Milton Pavilion. The festival continues through the weekend downtown with music, art, food, vendors, and plenty of community energy.More info: https://ithacafestival.org/ 2. Memorial Day changes local pickup schedulesCity offices are closed Monday, and trash collection will be delayed by one
May 261 min read
Ithaca in 3: Three Things to Know This Week (5/18)
Each week, Life in Ithaca highlights three local updates worth knowing, from transportation and city projects to major events that affect daily life around town. Here are three things to keep on your radar for the week starting Monday, May 18. 1. TCAT Route 10 Gets a New Downtown Stop A change is coming for one of Ithaca’s busiest bus routes. Starting Monday, May 18, TCAT Route 10, the high-frequency Cornell–Commons route, will move to a new downtown bus stop on the 200 block
May 182 min read
Media Options in Ithaca: Knowing the Difference Between News, Community Information, and Infotainment
Ithaca is a smart, active, opinionated place. We have universities, nonprofits, local government, small businesses, arts organizations, festivals, neighborhood debates, housing fights, development projects, public safety discussions, school issues, and more community meetings than any normal human calendar should be asked to survive. But when it comes to local media, not every outlet plays the same role. Some organizations are doing journalism. Some are sharing community info
May 135 min read
Ithaca in 3: Three Things to Know This Week 5/11
Each week, Life in Ithaca highlights three local updates worth knowing, from city government and transportation to events, culture, and community life. Here are three things to keep on your radar for the week starting Monday, May 11. 1. Seneca Street Parking Garage Will Remain Closed The Seneca Street Parking Garage will remain closed after an independent evaluation found ongoing structural and safety concerns. The garage has been closed since April 10, 2026, and the City of
May 112 min read
News Source vs. Web Magazine: What’s the Difference?
In a world where nearly everything online gets called “news,” it can be helpful to pause and define what different kinds of local media actually do. At Life in Ithaca, we are not trying to be a breaking news outlet. We are a web magazine focused on stories, places, people, events, culture, and everyday life in and around Ithaca. That distinction matters. A traditional news source is usually built around urgency. It reports what happened, when it happened, who was involved, an
May 44 min read
Ithaca in 3: Three Things to Know This Week
Each week, Life in Ithaca is highlighting three local updates worth knowing, from road closures and city government to arts, events, and community life. Here are three things to keep on your radar this week. 1. Stewart Avenue Bridge Closure Begins If Stewart Avenue is part of your regular route, this is the big one. The Stewart Avenue Bridge over Fall Creek is scheduled to close beginning Monday, May 4, as part of a major rehabilitation project. According to the City of Ithac
May 42 min read
State Police “No Empty Chair” Campaign Ends Today, But the Message Should Stay With Ithaca Drivers
Today, Friday, April 24, is the final day of this year’s New York State Police “No Empty Chair” Teen Driver Safety Campaign, a statewide effort focused on keeping young drivers safe during one of the most exciting and risky stretches of the school year. The campaign is timed around prom, senior events, and graduation season. Its name carries the whole message: No Empty Chair. No missing student at graduation. No family left with an absence that should have been prevented. Thi
Apr 242 min read
BEYOND THE BADGE: Meeting the New Face of 911 in Ithaca
If you live, work, or walk around Ithaca, you probably remember the headlines from 2021. The city was abuzz with a radical idea to "reimagine public safety"; with some calling to "abolish the police." The headlines were loud, but the complex policy reality left many residents scratching their heads, wondering: Who will show up when I call for help? Five years later, we have an answer. The heated political rhetoric has cooled, giving way to a new reality that is now live on ou
Mar 193 min read
The SNAP "Cliff": New Work Rules Hit Ithaca This Month
If you’ve been following local news, you know that 2026 is already a year of big shifts for Ithaca. But while we’ve been talking about housing dashboards and school closures, a major change to food security just quietly went live. As of March 1, 2026 , a longstanding New York State waiver has expired. For many of our neighbors relying on SNAP (formerly food stamps), the "rules of the game" just changed significantly due to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 . What
Mar 102 min read
The End of Flock In Ithaca
Whether you’ve been following the local headlines or noticed the "Flock Off Ithaca" signs around town, the debate over Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) just reached a major turning point. This week, the Ithaca Common Council made a definitive move regarding the city’s relationship with surveillance technology. Here is a breakdown of the recent decision to end the Flock camera contract and what it means for our community. The Vote: Ithaca Says "No" to Flock On Wednesday
Mar 62 min read
The Deeper Dive: What Happened in Dryden?
On February 19, 2026, the Dryden Town Board voted unanimously to permanently ban data centers and commercial cryptocurrency mining operations . This makes Dryden the first town in New York to implement such a total prohibition. Why the ban? Energy Grid Strain: Officials and the Climate Action Committee argued that data centers consume "exorbitant" amounts of electricity, which could lead to higher utility rates (NYSEG) for local residents. Climate Goals: New York’s Climate
Feb 232 min read
We Asked AI To Explain The Environmental Impact of AI. Here's What Gemini and ChatGPT Said
With all of the talk of a local AI data center, I was curious what the LLM's themselves would say about the environmental impact of AI. I asked them to present it as a student report. Gemini: As a student diving into this, the main thing I’ve realized is that AI’s environmental impact is a massive paradox. It’s essentially a "high-cost, high-reward" scenario where the technology we need to save the planet is also one of the fastest-growing threats to our energy and water st
Feb 205 min read
Setting the Record Straight: The Century-Long Legacy of 513 N. Cayuga St.
Our recent story on the upcoming closure of Kinney Drugs on March 5, 2026, sparked a wonderful conversation among our readers. Thanks to the eagle-eyed members of the NextDoor community , several historical inaccuracies in our original piece were brought to light. To ensure the history of this neighborhood landmark is preserved accurately, we emailed staff at The Tompkins Center for History and Culture , who provided links and access to the archival materials and newspaper re
Feb 182 min read
Deciphering the Crane Index: A Deep Dive into Ithaca’s New Housing Dashboard
If you’ve walked through Collegetown, the Commons, or down South Hill anytime in the last five years, you’ve probably asked the same question that dominates every local dinner party: “What are they building there?” Until this month, finding the answer required the patience of a saint. You had to dig through PDF agendas from Planning Board meetings, decipher rumors on Reddit, or wait for the steel beams to actually go up. But as of January 2026, the City of Ithaca has handed u
Jan 283 min read
Why Ithaca Is Talking About Elementary School Closures
In early 2026, public attention in Ithaca City School District shifted toward a tough topic: the possibility of closing one or more elementary schools. This isn’t a decision that’s been made yet — but it’s one that’s been flagged by a recent study and raised at school board discussions. What Triggered the Discussion A demographic and financial study presented to district leaders shows that: Enrollment in the district’s elementary schools has been declining for years, wit
Jan 262 min read
What Is Ithaca Snow Angels and How You Can Join
Winter in Ithaca comes with its fair share of charm: fresh snowfall that turns the city into a soft-edged postcard. But that magic also brings challenges — especially for pedestrians trying to navigate snow-packed sidewalks and the piles that build up at street corners after plows pass through. That’s where Ithaca Snow Angels comes in — a creative civic program run by the City of Ithaca that turns community care into action. It goes beyond clearing your own walk and invites
Jan 262 min read
Winter Storm Alert: What You Need to Know for Tonight in Ithaca
If you’ve looked outside in the last hour, you already know: winter has arrived in full force. A Winter Storm Warning is officially in effect for Ithaca and the surrounding Tompkins County area, lasting until 7:00 PM tomorrow (Monday) . Here is the breakdown of what to expect tonight and the critical parking rules you need to follow to avoid a ticket (or a tow). The Forecast Heavy snow is expected to continue throughout the evening. We are looking at potential accumulations
Jan 252 min read
Ithaca Eats: Inside Maru’s Pivot to Authentic Clay Pot Cooking
f you’ve walked down West State Street recently, you might have noticed a subtle but significant change. After eight years as a staple for noodle lovers in Ithaca, Maru Ramen has officially closed its chapter on broth and noodles. But don’t panic—they aren’t going anywhere. Owners Chris Kim and Soyong Lee have officially rebranded the space as Maru Korea , launching a completely overhauled menu that trades Japanese-style ramen for a deep dive into authentic, health-conscious
Jan 252 min read
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