Ithaca HOURS Community News: April #1: 2001

[this is the first of two messages sent MONTHLY to 1,714 area residents]

TASTE OF THE NATION, Ithaca's premier food and wine event, now accepts One Ithaca HOUR per ticket (HOUR + $35). TOTN raises funds for local agencies and for national and international hunger relief programs.
Where: The Field House (now Bartels Hall), Cornell University
When: Monday, April 23, 2001, 6-9 pm
Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the door. To spend an HOUR for this event, buy your ticket at the Ticket Center at CLINTON HOUSE downtown, or at the door on the night of the event.

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BOOGIE FOR BUTTERMILK!
HOURS are welcome at this fundraiser (April 6) to support the citizen lawsuits "to protect Buttermilk Falls State Park, the new Southwest Natural Area, and nearby neighborhoods from illegal decisions and maneuvers by City Hall and Widewaters in their rush to build a huge shopping plaza on adjacent lands." * Wingnut--Hammond B-3 organ driven jazz funk * Boy with a Fish-- modern rock, with members of "Horseflies" * Jody Kessler-insightful lyrics, masterful guitar & pristine vocals * Gabe Tavares--Eastern influenced trance folk * Plastic Nebraska--Ithaca's original Swampacana all-stars * Friday, April 6, VFW Hall (across from the State Diner), 8 P.M. to 1 A.M. * Donation at the door from $7 to $20 (whatever you can best afford) * Cash bar; dinners sold 'til the food runs out (macrobiotic and other)

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Congratulations to the expanded Autumn Leaves Used Books (and cafe), which has moved across the street to 115 The Commons (formerly Logos). They've served as the HOUR Bank (making HOUR change) since 1996. Over 60,000 books, good food, and HOURS are welcome.

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Ide's Bowling Lanes accepts 100% Ithaca HOURS. They're hosting "TEAM HOSPICARE BOWLS!" a bowling "tournament" benefit for Hospicare of Tompkins County. Saturday, April 21, 2001, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. For this event they're welcoming businesses to "sponsor a team of 5-7 bowlers [they can recruit the bowlers for you] for $500 (28 teams can participate) for an evening of fun, food, and yes, even some bowling!

"As a sponsor, your business will receive plenty of publicity: A large sponsor board will be located in the bowling center and displayed prior to and after the event, as you bowl on your lane, there will be a sign identifying you, we will list the sponsors in the Hospicare News, and as allowed, the media notices will mention sponsors.

"Proprietors Scott and Sue Hamilton will open their facility for this event. Food, and great prizes will be featured. Cash bar. There will be red pin giveaways, a strike pot, a DJ to track the "action" and the Hospicare Board and staff will be your friendly, courteous wait staff.

"The entire $500 team fee will go directly to Hospicare. Everyone's a Winner Here! Making a charitable contribution has never been so much fun!"

For more information: Sue Hamilton at 257-4030, email: [email protected]

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Laurie Hart was the first person to send in a coupon from "Ithaca Money" (1991) agreeing to accept HOURS for fiddle lessons. Laurie's new French Canadian CD "Danse ce soir!" (fiddle, piano, accordion, guitar) includes 33 tunes. You can read about it and hear clips on her website: Laurie Hart 607-277-6201

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The Ithaca Health Fund has just added a DENTAL REVOLVING LOAN FUND within the Fund. They'll loan up to $500 for dental crown work, interest-free.

The Fund's value today is $75,268.81. Satisfied Fund members give testimonials at http://www.IthacaHealth.org/survey.htm

HOURS are accepted for 25% of the $100 annual fee membership($175 per couple, $50/child).

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Rebuilding Bridges: A Rally for Community-Friendly Development on the Commons is sponsored by The Common Good Coalition, Wednesday, April 4. 6:00-7:30 outside the Common Council Meeting, City Hall, 108 E. Green Street.

The Common Good Coalition is "an exciting new community-labor initiative working to shape area development with the following core principles: Collective Bargaining Agreements (PLAs), Living Wages, hiring goals for women and persons of color, and environmentally sound development."

They are asking Common Council to adopt the following principles (and they have specific recommndations for implementation):
"One common principle that guides the Coalition membership is the belief that large publicly financed tax giveaways should be granted only to those developers/ beneficiaries who agree to build in accordance with pro-community standards. These standards are captured by three development ideals that serve the unique character of the community of Ithaca, NY:
"1. Project Labor Agreements (PLA's) -- We believe working conditions for all building project staff, both union and non, must be collectively bargained to ensure the effective ability to demand safety and health protection and training, negotiate fair wages and hours, receive adequate professional skills training, and bargain for benefit security provisions such as health care and retirement planning.
"2. Diversity -- Recognizing that new construction projects will translate into job opportunities, the Common Good Coalition advocates for greater participation of local women and minority trades people to fulfill project hours. If tax incentives are to be used to encourage development, the Coalition believes these building projects must also be a means of forwarding the skill-set and diversity of the local labor supply. By utilizing a PLA, we can mandate underrepresented minority hiring goals on local projects.
"3. Living Wages -- Long-term job creation subsidized by tax dollars must pay a wage that allows local workers the opportunity to sustain themselves and their families in a dignified manner with the resources to contribute effectively to the vitality of the local economy."

Questions: Jen Bloom, Workers' Rights Advocate, The Labor Coalition, 277-5670

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See progressive Ithaca oganizations

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The Tompkins County Green Party welcomes donations of HOURS. Their new website and discussion groups are found at

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If you'd like any help spending HOURS, please call 272-4330.

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We're asking people to ask for HOURS as change, when you shop at places like GreenStar and Ithaca Bakery. When you take HOUR change you make social change, by strengthening HOURS through accelerated circulation.

Got news? Send it in please.

Thanks!

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