Author: ed

An Ithaca man was arrested on January 13 following a confrontation with a neighbor that involved the use of bear spray.

GENEVA, N.Y. — The Geneva City Council voted 7-1 on Sunday to initiate an ethics review into Councilor-at-Large Ahmad Whitfield following his recent arrest on felony drug charges. The referral sends the matter to the city’s Board of Ethical Review to determine if Whitfield’s conduct violated local standards. While the council moved forward with the probe, Mayor Jim Cecere clarified that the board lacks the authority to remove an elected official, with disciplinary options limited primarily to censure. Whitfield, 45, was arrested Jan. 7 by the New York State Police Violent Gangs and Narcotics Enforcement Team. According to official police…

AURORA, N.Y., Jan. 17 — The shuttered Wells College campus in the Finger Lakes has found a new owner following a $12.5 million sale agreement with a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Native American history. The deal, announced this week, involves the transfer of the 156-year-old institution’s primary campus to a group that plans to repurpose the historic grounds as a center for indigenous heritage. The college, which was founded in 1868 by Henry Wells, officially closed its doors in June 2024, citing insurmountable financial challenges. The sale of the Aurora campus is viewed as a…

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Jan. 16 — A medical examiner has determined that the death of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee arrested in Upstate New York was a homicide, according to a report released Friday. The ruling comes amid a sharp increase in federal immigration enforcement activity across the region that has sparked both high-profile arrests and community-wide alarm. The homicide determination by the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s Office marks a significant escalation in the investigation into the detainee’s death. The death of Geraldo Lunas Campos has become a flashpoint for critics of federal detention conditions in New York. The…

ITHACA, N.Y., Jan. 16 — Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo delivered his 2026 State of the City address this week, emphasizing a new era of housing transparency and expanded tenant protections as the city enters its second year under his administration. The cornerstone of the Mayor’s 2026 agenda is the proposed creation of a public-facing housing data portal. The platform is designed to provide residents with real-time access to property data, including code violations, rental permits, and landlord compliance records. The initiative aims to streamline the process for tenants to verify the safety of their housing while holding property owners accountable…

ITHACA, N.Y. (Jan. 16, 2024) — An overwhelming majority of nurses at Cayuga Medical Center have voted to unionize, marking a significant victory for about 350 registered nurses seeking better wages, staffing, and respect for their years of service. Approximately 82% of eligible nurses cast ballots in the election held on January 14-15, choosing to form the Cayuga United CWA, an affiliate of the Communication Workers of America. Morgan Downing, a nurse at CMC, described the vote as laying “the groundwork for the generations of nurses to come after us,” reflecting a shared hope among staff for lasting change. Many…

Focus: rebuilding trust in city government and increasing transparency.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, a fixture of Southern Tier politics for more than 20 years, announced she will not seek reelection in 2026. Lupardo, a Democrat, has represented the 123rd District since 2005. Her district encompasses the city of Binghamton and the towns of Vestal and Union. “Serving in the Assembly has been an incredible honor,” Lupardo said in a statement, adding that while the decision was difficult, she feels it is time for a “new chapter.” A Staten Island native, Lupardo moved to the region in the 1970s for graduate school and never left. Before her…

Detailed summary Founding and Background of Zero Waste Ithaca Policy and Legislative Efforts Expanding the ‘Right to Refill’ Initiative Opposition to Plastic and Synthetic Turf Promoting Zero Waste and Overcoming Challenges