In this issue:
NOT OFFICIALLY NEWS
ICN NEWS
ITHACA LABOR NEWS
ITHACA SUSTAINABILITY
ITHACA WAR AND PEACE REPORT
FEATURED EVENTS
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
CLASSES, LECTURES, SUPPORT GROUPS
YOUR LETTERS
Ithaca Community News is a free community newsletter that zooms to your inbox every other Wednesday. Unsubscribe instructions are at the end of every newsletter.
Editor and Publisher: Elizabeth Bauchner. Founded by Paul Glover.
Next submission deadline: Monday, April 10, 12:00 pm.
*********
A very cool site with maps and info about local places to hike:
According to CNN Money, to live a “moderately” affluent lifestyle in Ithaca, as compared to 49 other “expensive” cities, a couple with no kids would need to make this much income: $92, 419.
See the article here.
--Wow, I wonder how much you have to make to live a “highly” affluent lifestyle in Ithaca, or why someone who makes much less and lives comfortably enough in our fair city would be considered poor.
“Extreme” Bird Count’s Fascinating Findings: The ninth annual Great Backyard Bird Count, which took place February 17–20, set new records as participation soared across the United States and Canada. From backyards to wildlife refuges, bird watchers tallied a record-breaking 623 bird species and 7.5 million individual birds during the four-day event, coordinated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. More info:
www.birdsource.org/gbbc.
Not Really Ithaca-centric, but cool anyway:
In Washington DC, The Sewall-Belmont House and Museum has launched a large digital exhibit on the suffrage movement to coincide with Women’s History Month. You can also do a simple search for photos by Suffrage, Equal Rights, International, or Contemporary.
*********
ICN NEWS
Check out the new ICN web site: http://www.ithacanews.org. On March 18, ICN launched the new site at a benefit dance party at the Women’s Community Building. Thousands of One, an awesome local band, provided music, and fun was had by all who attended.
The new site offers more news stories. Check out what’s new this week:
Read more about what RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is:
Coming soon! Ithaca Classifieds
**********
NEWSLETTER SPONSOR
The 16th Annual Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance, July 20-23 at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds. Four days and nights of music on four stages! The GrassRoots Festival is a volunteer-staffed event devoted to the celebration of diversity and community through music and performance. Each year, the Festival donates all profits to charities supporting local arts, education, and the global fight against AIDS. GrassRoots has presented performances ranging from bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley to desert nomad Malian rock group Tinariwen, plus many returning favorites, and a variety of favorites from our fertile regional music scene. Tickets! Information!
www.grassrootsfest.org or 607-387-5098.
**********
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR AD HERE?
Ithaca Community News is now accepting advertisements from local businesses who meet our advertising guidelines. Please see
http://www.ithacanews.org/adpolicy.html for details. Reach over 7500 local residents who share your values!
*********
THANKS TO THE DONORS WHO HAVE DONATED IN THE PAST. Ithaca Community News accepts donations in cash or HOURS. Donations can be sent to ICN P.O. Box 874, Ithaca, NY. 14851. Donations can also be made online, from home page (
http://www.ithacanews.org).
*********
ITHACA LABOR NEWS
Your Money or Your Life Study Group begins tonight. Have you ever felt you were making a dying rather than making a living? Learn how to connect your money with your values, and keep you spending in alignment with these values, as you seek the “purpose” in your life through an 8-week study group based on the best-seller “Your Money or Your Life”. March 29-May 24. Cost is $5.00 for study guide; book is also required. Please call Jackie Thompson at 273-7521 or
lepican@unitarian.ithaca.ny.us for more information. Class is held at the First Unitarian Church of Ithaca, 306 North Aurora Street.
The Cash in Tompkins Coalition is holding a Free Tax Assistance Super Saturday Event on April 8 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Alternatives Federal Credit Union, 125 N. Fulton Street, Ithaca. This coalition of free tax programs in Tompkins County has been working hard to ensure that low-income people receive all the tax credits for which they are eligible. No appointments are needed for this Super Saturday event. In addition to free tax preparation, free credit report reviews and financial educators will be available, plus other non-profit organizations, including Catholic Charities and the Day Care Council, with useful information on services such as food stamps and child care. There will be food, raffle prizes, and a special kids’ activity table to celebrate the Week of the Young Child. More info: (607) 216-3471.
**********
ITHACA SUSTAINABILITY
Ten Days to go in Earth-Friendly Fashion Contest. Designers’ work will be featured in fashion shows at the Johnson Museum of Art and Ithaca NY Earth Day celebration. Clothing designers and sewing enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels still have ten days to complete their entries in the Re-Fashion Design Contest, an Ithaca-based event which promotes re-use and recycling of existing fabric and clothes. Entries are due April 8. Anyone can enter, and the grand prize is $250 in cash and gift certificates. The top designs will be featured in a fashion show at the Johnson Museum of Art as part of the museum’s “Celebrate the World through Art” event on April 22 and again at the Ithaca Earth Day Celebration on April 23 at the Ithaca Farmers’ Market Pavilion.
By encouraging the creation of new, original, and fashionable apparel made from re-used garments or other materials, the contest promotes earth-friendly alternatives to the more negative aspects – such as sweatshop labor and use of environmental toxins – of the conventional fashion industry.
Entry forms can be found at Ithaca area merchants, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and the Community Arts Partnership, or on the web at www.reimaginestyle.com. For more information e-mail
wendy@reimaginestyle.com or call 607-277-7611.
Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival, March 30-April 6. Over 100 events including more than 65 films, 3 radio broadcasts, and numerous special guests and speakers, to be held at Ithaca College and Fall Creek Pictures.
From festival co-directors Patricia Zimmerman and Thomas Shevory:
“We welcome you to immerse your eyes, ears, body, and mind in this year's Finger Lakes Environmental Festival, a one-week multimedia and inter-arts extravaganza exploring four major terrains: compost culture, war ecologies, contagion and contamination, and water/flows.
The festival zeroes in on one mission: to push our audiences to think differently about what the words environment and sustainability can mean in an interconnected global context. The festival embraces a wide range of issues not traditionally associated with either of these terms: labor, war, health, music, intellectual property, fine arts, software, remix culture, archives, AIDS, women's rights, and human rights.”
Food Safety Activism! Tell your senators now to oppose the “National Uniformity for Food Act” when it comes before them for a vote.
http://cu.convio.net/site/R?i=Gr_hTcsqBl7rtJ3Qpzy-ig.. Although the bill passed the House on March 8, many legislators who planned to vote for it decided to vote NO instead due to thousands of phone calls and emails sent from their constituents. Nine of the bill’s cosponsors, its leading supporters, voted against it. Click on the link above to send an email to your senator opposing the bill that will eliminate state and local food safety protections.
Permaculture Fundamentals: Weekend Workshop, held at ECOVILLAGE in Ithaca: Friday, March 31 - Sunday, April 2. Instructors Stephen Gabriel and Karryn Olson-Ramanujan will provide an overview of the ethics, principles, and techniques of permaculture with a focus on practical application of design strategies for sustainable living. Cost: Sliding Scale $100 - 250 ($50 non-refundable deposit reserves your spot.) Sponsored by the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute. More info: (
http://www.flpci.org), or 607-319-0737.
Critical Mass Community Bike Ride, March 31. Dress up as your favorite fruit or vegetable! Meet 5:00 at Cayuga Street entrance to Commons; Ride at 5:30.
Ithaca Farmers’ Market Opens April 1. No fooling around, the Ithaca Farmers’ Market will open on April Fools’ Day - April 1, 2006. Saturday Market Hours are 9 am to 3 pm. The Ithaca Farmers’ Market is located on the scenic Cayuga Lake Inlet. It is celebrated for its fresh local produce, tasty foods, live music, and fine arts and crafts. Opening day on April first will draw stilt walkers, self-proclaimed fools (wear your jester hat, bring your juggling balls), and any other poor souls foolish enough to believe that spring may have finally arrived. Also please plan to come to the Market on April 8, 2006 – when the Market will celebrate its thirty fourth year anniversary with free goodies. For information on when Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday Markets will open, visit
www.IthacaMarket.com.
Earth Day Planning meeting: Saturday, April 8 from 9:00-11:00 am at the Tompkins County Solid Waste office, 122 Commercial Ave., off of Route 13 South. For more info, please contact Joey at 351-0664 or
earthdayithaca@yahoo.com.
The Cayuga Nature Center, a non-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate awareness, appreciation, and responsibility for the natural world through environmental and outdoor education, is seeking additional members for its board of directors. Selection to the board will take place at the Nature Center's annual meeting in May. To learn more about the organization, go to
www.cayuganaturecenter.org. To learn more about the board or how to apply, contact Jim Spear,
board@cayuganaturecenter.org or 539-7660. Applications are due by April 17.
**********
ITHACA War and Peace Report
Dan Berrigan: Vietnam to Iraq, Resistance to War and Empire. A Benefit for the St. Patrick's Four. April 10, 7:30 pm, Anabel Taylor Hall Auditorium, Cornell. Suggested Donation: $8 / $5 Students / Kids Free. This is the first event celebrating the Legacy of Activism at Cornell. Fr. Daniel Berrigan is a Jesuit priest, social activist, and poet, age 85. He served as assistant director of Cornell United Religious Work from 1966 to 1970. Berrigan was active in leading the antiwar movement at Cornell and abroad, and played an instrumental role in the national peace movement of the late '60s while he was with CURW. In early 1968, Berrigan and historian Howard Zinn traveled to Hanoi to successfully cause the release of three American military fliers who had become POWs after being shot down by the Vietnamese. He gained national attention with his brother Phil for their acts of nonviolent civil disobedience, both destroying draft files (1968) and participating in the first Plowshares Action, disarming the nose cone of a nuclear warhead (1980.) Berrigan, who continues to lead us as a peace activist, will draw the parallels between Vietnam, Iraq and the ongoing military campaign of US Empire. He'll be focusing on the importance of the nonviolent response to these wars as exemplified by the St. Patrick’s Four.
The St. Patrick's Four (SP4) defendants -- Danny Burns, Peter DeMott, Clare Grady and Teresa Grady -- are now serving time in prison for their nonviolent act of civil disobedience, receiving sentences from four to eight months in late January, 2006. On St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2003, two days before the US invaded Iraq, the four acted to avert the war. They protested at our local military recruiter’s station in Ithaca, by pouring a small amount of their own blood and then kneeling in prayer in the entrance. They went on trial in 2004, which resulted in a hung jury. Their case was forwarded to federal court and in 2005, they were tried a second time. In the federal trial they were charged with conspiracy, trespass and damage to property. The second jury found them innocent of the conspiracy charges. The jury found them guilty of the lesser charges. The money from this event will be used to support the four families. More info go to
http://www.stpatricksfour.org. This is the first event of two weeks of activities on activism.
WHITES UNRAVELING RACISM. Tuesday, April 4, 6:30-8:30 pm, 114 E. Spencer St (the one block, one-way street near the police station). Join this open discussion for white people coming together to free themselves (and communities) from the binds of racism. Come share experiences of racism as well as hopeful ideas and actions for creating a just & healthy town. All welcome! More info: Sareanda & Caleb 277-1799, or
sareanda@yahoo.com With respect to people with allergies, please come as fragrance-free as possible.
Finger Lakes Progressives Passes Impeachment Resolution. At its monthly meeting on March 11, the Finger Lakes Progressives (FLP) voted unanimously (with one abstention) to issue a resolution calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. “We are compelled to act, to urge other groups of concerned citizens—church groups, labor unions, coalitions of people who care about our Constitution and our democracy—to take similar steps,” said Jack Ossont of Yates County, who is currently the group’s coordinator. To help other groups do so, the FLP is making its resolution available for anyone to copy or use as a starting point for their own documents. To read the resolution, contact Jack Ossont, 607-243-7262,
sandhill1@frontiernet.net, or Maura Stephens, 607-274-3829;
mstephens@ithaca.edu,
maurastephens1@yahoo.com.
*********
FEATURED EVENTS
Great Community Read-A-Thon continues through April 1. Community members old and young are invited to join the Family Reading Partnership’s GREAT Community Read-a-thon, which started March 26 and continues through April 1. The weeklong Community Read-a-thon is designed to increase and celebrate reading in the community, and to raise funds to support Family Reading Partnership programs that reach low-income families. Our community goal is 200,000 minutes of reading.
Sign Up: Individuals, families, book clubs, organizations and businesses are invited to participate. Sign up at Wegmans, The Bookery, Barnes and Noble, or Borders. Forms and reading chain links can also be downloaded at
www.familyreading.org
Women Making History, March 29, 5:30 pm Women’s Community Building. The City Federation of Women’s Organizations invites you to attend their National Women’s History Month celebration. Get acquainted with local organizations and some notable local women. There will be refreshments and door prizes. 5:30 p.m. Open House. Meet representatives from federated organizations and other community groups that serve women and girls. Learn more about their services or how to get involved. 7:00 p.m. Program. Historian Carol Kammen will be the featured speaker, highlighting women who have built community in Ithaca. This event is free and open to the public.
Also, stop in the Women’s Community Building anytime throughout the month of March to see the timeline of events in Women’s History that is on display in the auditorium. 100 W. Seneca Street.
Photography Forum TONIGHT, March 29. The State of the Art Gallery will host an open forum on photography, starting at 7:00 pm. There will be four guest artists/presenters, although two will present their collaborative works together. First will be two local photographers, Harry Littell and Kathy Morris. Then two regional artists, Jan Kather and Tom Oberg will present their collaborative works combining photography and sculpture. Each person will have up to 1/2 hour to present work and perhaps to comment on how they see the evolution of photography at this time. This event will take place amid the gallery's 17th Annual Juried Photography Exhibition. The event is free and open to the public. Questions from the audience will be welcome. The gallery is located at 120 W. State St., Ithaca. Information: 277-1626
www.soag.org.
MLK STREET: Through the Heart of Our Community, A “Blockumentary-in-progress.” A public forum on the proposal to change the name of State Street was held on Monday, January 30, 2006 in Ithaca. MLK STREET: Through the Heat of Our Community is the first “blockumentary” of the GUERRILLA GRIOTS HUMAN RIGHTS MEDIA ARTS CENTER and highlights the viewpoints of city residents on this historic process in America’s most “enlightened” community. Check out MLK STREET: Through the Heat of Our Community on Tompkins County Public Access television (channel 13 for Time-Warner subscribers): Wednesday, March 29, 5:30 to 6:30 pm, and Friday, March 31, 9:30 to 10:30 pm. More info:
Puerto Rico: Art & Revolución, Three Events:
The purpose of these events is to explore the history and ongoing struggle for Puerto Rican independence. Given the recent assassination of Filiberto Ojeda Rios (a former Machetero and Puerto Rican independence fighter) by the FBI, it is important for us to engage in discussion through the medium of art and culture:
- Machetero, a film about a young Puerto Rican kid growing up in the streets of the ghetto and how he grows up to be the next Machetero, a Puerto Rican anti-colonial freedom fighter, 7:00 pm Wednesday, March 29, RPCC Auditorium, with wilmmaker, Vagabond
- Dylcia Pagan, Puerto Rican Freedom Fighter and Former Political Prisoner 8:00 pm Thursday, March 30, Ujamaa Main Lounge. Bio: http://www.prisonactivist.org/pps+pows/dylcia-pagan.html
- Ricanstruction, New York City Hardcore Hip Hop Salsa Punk Reggae with Revolutionary Sounds. 10:00 pm Friday, March 31, The Green Dragon/Sibley Hall www.ricanstruction.net.
Acclaimed Israeli musician/composer Yair Dalal performs in Ithaca March 28-30. Yair Dalal’s performances blend traditional melodies from his Iraqi-Jewish heritage and compositions inspired by his travels in the desert with the Bedouin. Dalal is also a peace activist who uses music as a cultural bridge of reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Events: Judeo-Arabic Music, March 28, 8:30 pm, Alice Cook House, Cornell. A Time for Peace, March 30 7:00 pm, Unitarian Church of Ithaca, corner of Aurora and Buffalo Streets. Fee.
The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Presents: The Architect's Brother, March 25-June 11. Robert ParkeHarrison’s photography constructs stories of healing and restoration amid landscapes scarred by technology and overuse, reminding us to consider the state of our one and only earth. Robert’s wife, Shana, collaborates with him to produce the work. The exhibition has been organized by George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film.
On March 30 at 5:15 pm, the artists will give a talk about their work. More info: (
http://www.museum.cornell.edu).
Swing Dancing, April 1. The Ithaca Swing Dance Network is proud to present the Susan Earle Band for a swing dance at St. Paul’s Methodist church, 402 N. Aurora St., Ithaca, on Saturday, April 1. Susan’s clear, sweet voice is backed by some of Ithaca’s best musicians, bringing fresh joy and intelligence to familiar jazz standards. There will be an introductory swing lesson at 7:30 and the dance begins at 8:30 and goes until midnight. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students/seniors. For more information, visit our web site at
www.ithaca-dance.org. Ithaca Swing Dance Network is a non-profit organization run by dancers and for dancers.
‘Crossing Borders’ Live Radio broadcast April 1. Crossing Borders is a multi-cultural concert series broadcast live on WVBR, 93.5FM, 8:00 to 10:00 pm every Saturday, from the Carriage House Cafe at 305 Stewart Avenue, Ithaca. April 1 is the Alash Ensemble from Tuva. Fee. For more info: (
http://www.Crossingborderslive.org) or
mailto:Crossingborderslive@yahoo.com.
Special Crossing Borders performance March 31 at the Lost Dog Lounge, 106 S. Cayuga St, Ithaca with the Goran Ivanovic Group, at 9:30 pm.
The week of the young child (first week of April) is celebrated across the country by hundreds of local organizations working to improve opportunities for all young children. The Finger Lakes Association for the Education of Young Children (FLAEYC) has planned in conjunction with many local organizations a week of events with activities geared towards young children. To learn more about FLAEYC or how you can become involved contact 273-0259. Events will take place at the library, Sciencenter, History Center, Community School of Music and Art, Museum of the Earth, Boynton Middle School, and more. Call 273-0259.
Dances of Universal Peace, held on the first Saturday of every month. Next dance: April 1. Meditation starts at 7:15 pm, dancing begins at 7:30. All Dances held at Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Rd. The Dances are simple Circle Dances and Chants sung in various languages which honor different Spiritual Traditions in the World. All Chants and Dances are taught and are accompanied by live music. No experience is necessary, Come Join the Circle! A $5.00 donation is requested but not required. More info: Diane Olden, 272-7582 or
mailto:dianeolden@hotmail.com.
Spirit and Kitsch Grand Opening, Saturday, April 1, 10:00 am-8:00 pm. Spirit and Kitsch is moving to a new location on Old Elmira Road, across from Lucatelli’s Ristorante. Grand opening will feature works by local artist Corinne Stern and others. Refreshments, music, and much lovely and exciting new work.
Ithaca College to Feature Most Popular Films in the 2005-6 Out of the Closet Film Series. Beginning last fall, the Out of the Closet and onto the Screen film series at Ithaca College has shown a number of documentaries exploring the complexities of sexual orientation and family identity. On Saturday, April 1, seven of those films--chosen by an online campus poll--will be re-screened between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm in Williams 225. All showings are free and open to the public. The Out of the Closet series is sponsored by the Center for LGBT Education, Outreach, and Services. For more information, contact Lis Maurer at 274-7394 or
lmaurer@ithaca.edu. For full schedule, see
http://www.ithaca.edu/news/article.php?id=1925.
The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Presents: The Novel Picture: Interactions Between Text and Image, April 1-June 18. The annual exhibition curated by the Cornell History of Art Majors’ Society investigates novel artistic expressions, including book illustrations, works of art inspired by literature, and other pairings of text and image. Authors such as William Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde will be featured, along with artists ranging from Eugène Delacroix to Jim Dine. Related event: ART FOR LUNCH, April 6, 12:00-1:00 pm, History of Art Majors’ Society curators will discuss their exhibition. More info: (
http://www.museum.cornell.edu).
AgStravaganza brings the Farm to Pyramid Mall. Tompkins County Farm Bureau in cooperation with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County will present AgStravaganza! This event will provide the public with an opportunity to learn about agriculture on Saturday, April 1, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm at Pyramid Mall, Ithaca. Dozens of agricultural and farm displays and exhibits with hands-on crafts, games and activities; lots of farm animals to pet and learn about; milk, cheese and ice cream to sample. Special story time at 11 am in Borders bookstore with Agri-cadabara, the Farm Bureau Puppeteers. For more information call 272-2292.
Next Bound for Glory concerts: The Homegrown Strong Band, April 2, and
Joel Mabus, April 9. WVBR’s Bound for Glory is North America’s longest running live folk concert broadcast, which broadcasts from Cul de Snack, the Cafe at Anabel Taylor Hall at Cornell on Sunday nights from 8 to 11, with live sets at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30. Admission in the live audience is free and is open to everyone in the area. Kids are always welcome. Refreshments are available. More info: Phil Shapiro, 607-844-4535, or
mailto:pds10@cornell.edu.
21st ANNIVERSARY SCIENCENTER EGG DROP. Eggs will once again be dropping in Ithaca on
Sunday, April 2 at Center Ithaca on the Commons. The Egg Drop is a community event coordinated entirely by volunteers. For Egg Drop registration information and contest rules visit
www.sciencenter.org.
Molly MacMillan, of the Molly MacMillan Trio, with Doug Robinson on bass and Michael Wellon on percussion, will perform April 2 in the Faculty Showcase at the Community School of Music and Arts, 330 E. State Street in downtown Ithaca. The trio will be playing jazz compositions by John Patitucci, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, with original compositions by Molly MacMillan. Tickets are $5, and $15 for a family, and can be purchased at the door. Call 272-1474 for more information.
Support Students at the Lehman Alternative Community School: OLE` (Outreach Leadership Exchange) is hosting a MEXICAN DINNER at LACS, 111 Chestnut St, Monday April 3. Take out or two seatings at 5:30 and 6:30. Tickets are $10/person, available at the door. Menu: Chicken with mole sauce (red and green), Black beans, Spanish rice, Salad, Flan for dessert. Vegetarian options available.
Film Series Screenings at Ithaca College Offer Insights into Sexual Orientation and Family Relationships. “Out of the Closet and onto the Screen: The Many Meanings of Family”, a yearlong film series at Ithaca College, will present its final spring semester offerings April 5- 6. Free and open to the public, the documentaries explore the complex dynamics of sexual orientation, identity, and family. All screenings will take place in Textor 101. For more information and complete schedule:
http://www.ithaca.edu/news/article.php?id=1932.
“Celebration of Nature,” paintings by Patty Porter and Mary Schuler, will be on display from April 5 - 30 at State of the Art Gallery. Opening reception for the artists will be held Friday, April 7, 5:00-8:00 pm. The gallery is located at 120 W. State Street and is now open Wed.-Fri. 12-6, Sat. & Sun. 12-5. Information: 273-4960,
www.soag.org.
Ithaca College to host Symposium on the year 1968, April 7 and 8. Scholars and artists from around the country will gather to exchange ideas, images, and open discussion at a symposium about the watershed year of 1968. The symposium represents an effort to look at a broad and dramatic historical moment with an eye toward the radical sense of possibility and inquiry that it contained. The two-day event includes panel discussions on art, the Vietnam War and resistance, Civil rights, and more, with a conference wrap-up at the Chanticleer Loft on April 8 at 9:00 pm, 101 W. State Street. For more information and a complete schedule:
http://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20060320140714798.
One-Heart Community Drum Circle. Every Saturday at Lehman Alternative Community School, 111 Chestnut Street, Ithaca. 6:00-9:00 pm. Bring drums, or just show up to play. More info email Steve Calkins,
mailto:ecstacy2@earthlink.net.
*********
CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
OAR (Offender Aid and Restoration) Volunteer Training Scheduled for April 1 and 8. OAR is seeking applicants for one-on-one mentors for inmates at the Tompkins County Jail. Mentors serve as sounding boards for inmates, helping them set realistic educational, career, or other goals, encouraging exploration of options, and providing positive reinforcement. The required 12-hour training will be held April 1, 9:00 am-3:00 pm and April 8, 9:00 am-3:00 pm at the OAR office, 518 West Seneca St, 2nd Floor (please use rear entrance on Buffalo St. - the building is wheelchair accessible). Please bring a picture ID to the first session. After attending the jail’s “Professional Visitors’ Orientation,” mentors will be paired with an inmate at the Tompkins County Jail for one one-hour visit per week. Interested parties must contact the OAR Outreach Coordinator ASAP at 272-7885 or e-mail
oarvolunteer@hotmail.com
Help Someone Find Their Silver Lining: Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service, a United Way agency, offers a way for you to help your community, while gaining valuable skills which will help you in all aspects of your life. Volunteer Crisisline counselors are open minded, compassionate individuals who are trained to be skilled, effective crisis counselors. The Crisisline is presently seeking trainees for the next training, which begins soon. For more information please contact Paul or Judy at 272-1505, or
spcs@verizon.net.
The Museum of the Earth at PRI will be offering a History of Life 6-week community education and volunteer training course beginning the first week of April. This course will overview the history of life on earth, utilizing the Museum exhibits to highlight major events throughout history. The course is open to all members of the community and is a great way to learn about the Museum and the information within. The History of Life will be offered Thursday evenings at 5:30 pm at the Museum, Thursday April 6 through May 11. To register for the course or for more information about volunteering at the Museum, please contact Alicia Reynolds at reynolds@museumoftheearth.org or 607-273-6623 ext. 13. More info on museum, hours, etc,
www.museumoftheearth.org.
Ithaca Area Vegan Parents Network. Groups seeks vegan parents dedicated to raising vegan kids in the Ithaca area. Parents of kids of all ages (including unborn!) from all types of families are welcome. Potlucks, playgroups, holiday activities and more. Join the listserv at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ithacaveganparents or email
kristies11@earthlink.net for more info.
Gourmet Box Lunch Fundraiser for the Drop-In Children’s Center. Organize a delivery to your workplace on Friday, April 28. Lunch includes gourmet vegetarian or turkey sandwich, spritzer or bottled water, creamy slaw, gourmet chips and homemade brownie. Call 272-7117 and ask for Lynne or Cathy or stop in the Center to pick up tickets. $10 per lunch and all proceeds benefit the Drop-In Children’s Center.
Want to work on your Spanish and explore beautiful Buenos Aires? Pues, vamos al sur entonces! The Vamos Al Sur summer program in Argentina is led by Andrés Lema-Hincapié, CUSLAR’s own wonderful Spanish professor. Come learn about the program, and enjoy great Argentine food and drink, and an informational meeting for summer study in Argentina, April 3, 5:00-6:30 pm, Edwards Room, Anabel Taylor Hall. Everyone in Ithaca is invited! Contact: Dr. Andrés Lema-Hincapié,
andreslemah@yahoo.com, 277-9008.
*********
CLASSES, LECTURES, SUPPORT GROUPS
Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Spring Field Ornithology course begins March 29 and runs through May 21. For novice and expert alike, this eight-week course will clear the cobwebs of winter and hone knowledge of bird behavior and identification skills. Spring Field Ornithology is offered in two sections: Wednesday night lectures and guided weekend field trips. The lectures are held at the Lab on Sapsucker Woods Road and led by Dr. Stephen Kress, National Audubon Society’s vice president for bird conservation. Drs. Ken Rosenberg, Kimberly Bostwick, and David Winkler are among those who will lecture on a variety of topics, including eggs and nests, why birds sing, courtship rituals, and conservation. More info or to sign up: 254-2452 (outside Ithaca, 800-843-2473), mailto:
sfoclass@cornell.edu, or go to the Spring Field Ornithology web site at (
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/sfo).
Families Learning Science Together: Bridge Building, Saturday, April 1, 2:00-3:00 pm in the Thaler-Howell program room of the Tompkins County Public Library. Families will learn about what structural engineers have to consider when designing bridges. They will see how stresses are concentrated in materials and then try to build a drinking straw bridge to certain specifications. Tompkins County Public Library and the Cornell Center for Material Research are co-sponsors of this program. Reserve a spot today by contacting Kevin at
outreach@ccmr.cornell.edu or call 254-8256. This program is free and open to the public, but space is limited.
Women’s Opportunity Center offering free computer classes throughout April, including how to manage and use email, job searching on the Internet, and how to use Windows XP. To find out schedule or get more info, call 272-1520 or
mailto:workshops@womensopportunity.org.
The Tompkins County Public Library is offering two free Ebay workshops to help you enter the world of online auctions and experience the excitement of “the hunt”, and the satisfaction of “the sale” at Ebay:
- Learn How To Buy on Ebay, April 1, 2:00-4:00 pm. Discover the power and fun of Ebay. Learn how to sign up as a buyer, search Ebay items, and bid on the special treasure of your dreams. Select from millions of items being auctioned on Ebay from around the world. You will obtain the skills you need to bid wisely and make smart buying decisions.
- Learn How To Sell on Ebay, April 22, 2:00-4:00 pm. Learn how to sell your items on Ebay and gain access to the millions of Ebay buyers worldwide. The workshop will review how to register as a buyer, selling tips, photographing items to sell, payment methods, and much more.
Adult Services Librarian Lawrence Carey will conduct the workshops in the Borg Warner room east. Pre-registration is not required.
Ithaca Public Education Initiative’s 10th Anniversary Celebration: An Evening with the Three College Presidents. Monday, April 3, 5:30-7:00 pm, at the Ithaca High School Cafeteria (parking in the North Cayuga Street lots is available). Cornell University President Hunter Rawlings, Ithaca College President Peggy Williams and Tompkins Cortland Community College President Carl Haynes will make remarks focusing on partnerships between the county's institutions of higher education, the Ithaca City School District and the community. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will follow the presentations. For more information on the April 3 event or the Ithaca Public Education Initiative,
www.ipei.org or call 256-IPEI (4734) or email
ipei@ipei.org.
Monday Night Seminar at the Lab of Ornithology: The marvels of songbird migration. April 3, 7:30 pm The Lab’s own Miyoko Chu will discuss the remarkable lives of songbirds and the scientific quest to answer age-old questions about where they go, how they get there, and what they do in the far-flung places they inhabit throughout the year. Her new book, Songbird Journeys: Four Seasons in the Lives of Migratory Birds, is described by Living on the Wind author Scott Weidensaul as “that rare book that mingles passion, beauty, and science into a surprising, fascinating whole.” Free. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is located on Sapsucker Woods Road, just off Route 13, north of Ithaca.
Learn about Trees and Pruning. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County will be teaming up with the City of Ithaca Forester and the Cornell Urban Horticulture Institute to offer its popular classes on trees and pruning beginning Monday April 3 and ending April 24 at 7:00 pm. All sessions meet at the Cooperative Extension office located at 615 Willow Ave. in Ithaca. The classes are part of the Citizen Pruner Volunteer Training Program. Citizen Pruners volunteer to prune street trees throughout Ithaca and shrubs and trees in City Parks. Volunteers work for about 1.5 hours a week at locations identified by the City Forester. The work of volunteers significantly improves the appearance, strength and longevity of trees and shrubs in the City and is one reason that Ithaca has received the Tree City USA designation. Classes are free for volunteers. The general public is invited to attend the classes but there is a fee of $5 per class. To register, call Cooperative Extension at 272-2292.
Making Ends Meet, a free money management workshop, April 5, 12:30-2:30 pm or 6:30-8:30 pm, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca. Attendees will explore numerous strategies, techniques, and tools for managing and maximizing their resources.
Information will also be provided about the One-on-One Program available to households who would like individualized instruction. The workshop is free and open to the public. There will be refreshments and door prizes, plus all attendees will be given a money management tool kit. Advanced registration is required and the class is free. Class size is limited. Call 272-2292 to register.
Culturally Sensitive Parenting: A class for all parents. Wednesdays: April 5, 12, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31. 6:30 pm-8:30 pm at GIAC (Greater Ithaca Activities Center), 318 Albany St. Ithaca. Free Classes, food and childcare. Learn about the Pyramid of Success. Learn ways to raise proud and confident children. Every parent comes out with something new. Join Tommy Miller and Gloria Molina for this eight week series. To register and sign up for childcare call 272-2292. The program is sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, Greater Ithaca Activities Center and The Village at Ithaca.
Cooperative Extension Class: Trees and Shrubs for Difficult Sites, April 5, 6:30-8:30 pm. Roadside salt, drought, alkaline soil, shade, and clay soil are all site factors that influence your choice of a tree or shrub. Find out which 'woodies' can thrive in your site, and save time, money, and energy before you plant. Pat Curran, Horticulture Program Manager, will discuss durable woodies for challenging sites. Class will be held at the Tompkins County Cooperative Extension Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca. Fee $5; limited to 20 participants; pre-registration preferred. Please call 272-2292 for more information or registration.
Community Dispute Resolution Center’s Annual Meeting, April 5. “Strengthening Families, Helping Children: Mediation & the Courts.” Guest Speaker: Honorable Judith O’Shea. Breakfast 7:30 am Elmira Country Club or Hors d’Oeuvres 5:00 pm Ithaca Holiday Inn. More info: http://www.cdrc.org/.
Analysis of the Legal Market for Coca: “Cocanomics: analysis of the legal market for coca leaves in Peru.” Talk by Manuel Glave, Visiting Faculty, Department of Economics & Policy Studies University of Notre Dame, April 6, 4:30pm, 115 Rockefeller Hall, Cornell.
Saltonstall Seminar: The Ins and Outs of Getting Published, April 8, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. With Stuart Bernstein, Leslie Daniels, Michael Koch. $15 includes light refreshments. Saltonstall Arts Colony, Ithaca. Reserve your space now by calling Laurel Guy at 539-3146 or
info@saltonstall.org. This lively and informative seminar will look at the ins and outs of publishing for poets and writers from a literary agent’s perspective, demystifying the process and giving a little hope! Read all the details about this seminar and presenters at
http://www.saltonstall.org/whatsnew/seminars.php.
*********
YOUR LETTERS
“Ithaca Community News, Please unsubscribe me from your email list. The quality of your mailing has really dropped off. I find the progression through topics to be difficult to follow, the focus on the news petty, and the vague attempts at humor to be fairly pathetic. It seems this news is now focused only on one single aspect of Ithaca life- that is middle class, white, and sort of ‘new age’. I hope that you seriously consider revising the content and layout of your mailing. Thank you—Emily Koester”
-----[REPLY]: To see what ICN is all about, read our editorial mission statement:
http://www.ithacanews.org/mission.htm. As for the focus of the news being petty, I am of the mind that we are in desperate need for alternative media of all kinds, whether it’s print, television, radio or online news. Variety is good. I’ve also covered several events directly related to race issues in our community, and am personally devoted to non-violence and racial equality. ICN welcomes letters and input from all members of the community, and will publish them all.
Thanks, Elizabeth