Ithaca Times

The first major heat wave of the summer is here. The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat watch for Wednesday, July 1, through Friday, July 3. Extremely hot conditions with heat index values exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit are forecasted, with overnight lows in the 70s. Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during times of extreme heat and high humidity, according to the NWS. The Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response released a a statement about the weather conditions.

Wednesday, June 10, marked Family Reading Partnership’s last day open at their current space at The Shops at Ithaca Mall. Their free family play space, The Nook, will be moving down the hall to a new storefront. “Our current location needed a full HVAC replacement, which just wasn’t possible for us financially,” Executive Director Amber Smith said in a press statement.

A Binghamton man faces felony charges for an alleged social comment directed at state Sen. Lea Webb, according to a state police report. On June 23, the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrested James A. Crosby, 49, following an investigation into a threatening Facebook comment he made in response to a WBNG news story that mentioned Webb’s attendance at a Juneteenth event.

In February, Ithaca’s Common Council passed a resolution committing to the establishment of an unarmed responder program called Responders Offering Outreach, Trust, and Support (ROOTS). At the council’s June 18 meeting, it moved forward with determining the program’s budget and staff, unanimously advancing a resolution to the July 8 consent agenda to adopt four city staff positions: one full-time working supervisor, one full-time community responder, and two part-time community responders.

The Ithaca City School District Board of Education (BOE) approved a revised Climate Action Plan during its June 9 monthly meeting. In June 2024, the board passed a climate resolution, a written acknowledgement of the climate crisis and a written commitment to reduce the district’s carbon footprint. The BOE formed a Climate Action Plan Advisory Council in September 2025 to develop the district’s first climate action plan, examine goals and create implementation steps.

The Ithaca Reggae Fest, now in its eighth year, will take over parts of Ithaca’s Stewart Park on June 26-28, offering 3 days of family-friendly music, workshops, food, and celebrations. While most of the events are ticketed, much of the park will remain open for the community. The fest is expected to draw between 3000 and 5000 people. Parking at Stewart Park will be limited, but remote parking sites and shuttle buses will be available to get you to and from your car, bike, skateboard or hoverboard.

No Data Center FLX, a coalition of local environmental organizations, delivered a petition to the town of Lansing signed by more than 17,000 people against the proposed TeraWulf data center in the former Cayuga Power Plant at Milliken Station. NDCFLX announced its plans in a June 17 press conference outside Lansing town hall before the board’s monthly meeting. The petition “Reject the Development of an AI Data Center on Cayuga Lake” has garnered around 20,938 signatures as of June 22.

Ithaca Pride Comedy Show: LGBTQ Stand-Up at Collegetown Bagels Friday, June 26 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Collegetown Bagels - Downtown| This is ComedyHOF at its most authentic. We’re turning your favorite bagel spot into a loud, intimate comedy room where the jokes land three feet from your face. No stage, no filters, just the real energy of a live crowd and comedians who have something to say. We’ve got a list of special Pride drinks ready to keep the energy high all night.

The Hangar’s production of the brilliant musical “Fun Home” is guaranteed to pierce your heart with tears of sorrow as it simultaneously lightens it with tears of joy. Lisa Kron (book and lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (music) took home Tony Awards for their book and score, as well as best musical for their adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel. Notably they were the first all-female team to do so.

At the June 16 Tompkins County Legislature meeting, legislators passed a local law allowing the county to exceed the state property tax levy, if necessary. Legislators in favor of the local law said it would not increase property taxes or require the legislature to exceed the cap, but that it preserves the option during the county’s budget development. The legislature typically passes this resolution each year, often with opposition.