LABOR, ARTS, EVENTS, ACTIVISM, LOCAL HISTORY, YOUR LETTERS, FUN STUFF!
[This is the FIRST OF TWO MESSAGES MONTHLY sent to 7,416 Ithaca area residents]
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ITHACA COMMUNITY NEWS RETURNS. ICN has been on vacation for five months. Offered as a free community service since 2001, its threadbare editor needs hereafter to gather $200 total donations from readers before publishing each edition. With 7,400 readers, that's 65 cents per reader for all 24 editions/year.
EVERYONE WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ICN whether donating or not, but your donations will assure there are more editions. Thanks very much to those of you who have already donated, & to the many who have asked that this newsletter continue.
Donations can be sent to ICN, Box 365, Ithaca, NY 14851
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HUNDREDS OF FREE LOCAL CLASSIFIED ADS Sell, Buy, Swap, Give Away, Rent, Find Work. Spend & earn Ithaca HOURS.
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NOT OFFICIALLY NEWS
ITHACA MEETING PLACE "is a bulletin board and chat room where people can
post about or discuss anything Ithaca. For community news, services,
meetings, special events, equipment or volunteer needs."
---MESSAGEBOARDS
---CHATROOM
ITHACA FILM FESTIVAL now accepting entries for 2004 mid-July festival. Deadline 4/15. Entry form Free zine--IFIRE Magazine. To get bundle or advertise: [email protected]
ITHACA OVERNIGHTS: Lake House Bed & Breakfast 607 243-5637
Perched above Seneca Lake's west shore, six miles above Watkins Glen, down in the woods,
well-rested visitors sun on a broad porch eating custom breakfasts, after early morning tea.
Hostess Susan Lewis is a former restauranteuse and masseuse whose gracious service inspires repeat visits.
--Birds and birders enjoy this Victorian cottage. At night the telescope is brought to the porch. It's a
quiet place: rooms are free of TV and telephone. We hear just wind in trees.
ITHACA HEALTH FUND RAISES OVER $250,000, ADDS MORE COVERAGE. For the same $100/year fee as 1997, Health Fund members have more coverage than ever for common emergencies & some dental. BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS SOON: contact the Fund to become a candidate
THE DOMINION OF ITHACA now links to 123 domain names containing "ithaca." Send your Ithaca domain to [email protected]
BIKE LANES TO BE PAINTED THIS SUMMER by bicyclists who do not believe the City intends to enact its 1975 bike plan. To help: Michelle Menter 256-9093, who says "It's getting stupider & stupider in carville. People treat driving like it's a videogame." New construction downtown & on Rte 13 will make traffic jams even more impossible, without space for alternate mobility.
HOUR TOWN 2004 lists thousands of ways to spend Ithaca HOURS. Find copies at GreenStar, Autumn Leaves, Viva, elsewhere. [email protected] 272-3738
SPRING COMES SEVERAL TIMES YEARLY TO ITHACA. Glorious sunny warm days are followed by snow or dank biting chills, that yield again to soft air. Grey noons become preludes to brilliant weeks.
EARTH DAY MAY BE GLORIOUS: April 25 event needs your participation: Wally Woods 272-1312
STUDENT RECYCLING PROJECT organizing for 2004 sale: Fern Delise 539-6393
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ITHACA FOOD NEWS
SHOULD GREENSTAR PURCHASE OASIS NATURAL GROCERY? ---GreenStar members are millionaires-- co-owners of nearly $1,000,000
liquid assets. They can vote (until 3/30) to use this power to purchase
Oasis, or to accomplish other things. Although opening a satellite store downtown
is a good idea, five GreenStar council members have recommended that
members vote NO to purchase of Oasis for the following reasons:
ORGANIC & NATURAL PRODUCT COMPANIES ASSOCIATED WITH MONSANTO:
Arrowhead Mills, Bearitos, Breadshop, Cascadian Farms, Celestial
Seasonings, Earth's Best Baby Food, Garden of Eatin, Health Valley, Imagine
Foods, Small Planet Foods, Terra Chips, Westbrae, Millina's, Mountain Sun,
Muir Glen, Shari Ann's, Walnut Acres, more.
WORKSHOP/RESOURCE FAIR FOR FARMING OPPORTUNITIES "Have you thought of
starting a farming enterprise or considering ways you might use your land
to help pay for taxes? Is your current farming enterprise not producing
the returns you would like & you are wondering what options there might be
to diversify?" 3/27, 9am-4pm, Boynton Middle School. $15. Registration
required. 272-2292 [email protected]
THE ORGANICXCHANGE "brings together the buyers & sellers of organic goods."
"CAYUGA LAKE WINE COUNTRY: ROAD TRIP" selected for New York Independent
Film Festival Award. The film, available on DVD, "combines breathless
scenery with interviews w/15 vineyard owners." 45-minute "road trip"
through the Cayuga Lake Wine Country. DVD available at most Cayuga Wine
Trail wineries, area bookstores, gift shops.
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FEATURED EVENTS
SEE SPOT ART GALLERY EVENTS 108 The Commons. Ithaca HOURS accepted. 277-7560
SOLAR ENERGY EVALUATION AT A HOME IN TRUMANSBURG. 3/20, noon, 4348 Swamp
College Road, Trumansburg. "Did you know that enough solar energy falls on
New York in ONE DAY to power the state for ONE YEAR? For a limited time,
the Government is willing to pay for 40-60% of the cost for YOUR solar
electric system!" SunSlates,
Solar shingles & PV laminates. Directions: From Ithaca, Rte 96 N to
Jacksonville. After the gas station in Jville, second left onto Swamp
College Road, drive 1.5 miles; house is on right. Annie Koreman 592-2886.
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK (free Hangar Theatre performance) 3/20, 3pm at TC
Public Library. Performed in English & ASL.
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CONSOLIDATED SERVICES & County Comprehensive Youth
Services Plans for 2004 -2007. Children & Family Services, Child
Protective Services, Adoption, Foster Care, Day Care, Domestic Violence
Services, Runaway & Homeless Youth Services, Non-secure Detention, &
Protective Services for Adults. 3/25, 2pm, Human Services Bldg, 320 W
State. Kathy Schlather 274-5678, Kris Bennett 274-5310
NOCHE LATINA BENEFIT LATINO DINNER DANCE 3/26, 6pm-12:30am, La Cocina
Latina Catering & the Ithaca Catholic Worker & CUSLAR in support of the St.
Patrick's Day 4 trial & local efforts to stop war. Women's Community Bldg.
TICKETS -$10 ** Call for Family Rate** at Small World Music , CUSLAR @
Anabelle Taylor Hall,, Autumn Leaves Books. 273-7437 HOURS accepted.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REDISTRICTING: ICSD's Craig Evans will describe where the
district stands at this time. "The school district wants to hear from the
community before any final decisions are made so come let your voice be
heard." 3/24, 7- 8pm, ACS gym.
DISCUSS SUSTAINABILITY AT COFFEEHOUSE SALONS: Six-week series held in
coffeehouses & restaurants around Tompkins County. Sponsored by Sustainable Tompkins,
the salons are "community conversations on sustainability as a framework
for decision-making about energy, housing, health care, infrastructure, &
other choices we can guide as a community."
"HOW WELL IS YOUR WATER?" a free, two-hour educational program on drinking
water wells. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants receive
bottles to collect water samples, which they return the following morning.
A certified laboratory will then process the water samples for bacteria &
nitrates. Those attending receive bacteria & nitrate tests for only $9.
[email protected] 532-4104.
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR MENOPAUSE seminar 3/27, 2-3pm, Women's Community Bldg.
SMART GROWTH: MORE CHOICES, BETTER PLACES: speaker Lynn A. Richards, Senior
Policy Analyst, U.S. EPA, 3/31, 7:30pm, Ramada Inn. Author of
"Alternatives to Subsidizing Edge
Development: Strategies for Preserving Rural Landscapes in Terrain," &
"Getting to Smart Growth: 100 policies for Implementation." Free.
CARDI
CURB YOUR CAR COALITION 3/31, 3:30pm, OLD JAIL [email protected]
HOMELESS & HOUSING TASK FORCE 4/7 1011:45am, Mental Health Services Bldg,
6th fl, 201 E. Green
KOL HAVERIM PASSOVER SEDER 4/10, 3pm, Kendal in Ithaca. "Participatory
family service, traditional & non-traditional songs, live music by
Trovalla. For children: supervised crafts, story telling,
dress-up musical parade as the "wandering tribe," more. Gourmet buffet
dinner. Kendal residents $25; Non-members $30,$15 children 3-18. College
students $15. Kol Haverim members free. Reservations: Kol Haverim, Box
68, Ithaca, NY 14851 by 3/27. Mark Silverman 277-3345
BOUND FOR GLORY http://www.wvbr.com Anabel Taylor Hall 8-11pm.
CONTRA DANCE & CAKE AUCTION 4/24, 7-10:30 pm,Willard Straight Hall,
$5/person; $10/family. Ithaca Hours accepted. All dances taught; No experience or partner needed!
Benefit for Ithaca Quakers.
LIVING WITH GRIEF-- ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: Teleconference 4/28,
1:30pm-4:00pm, Cooperative Extension. Panel discussion 4:00-4:30pm.
Register: Donna George, Hospicare 272-0212
KITCHEN THEATRE COMPANY The Book Club (world
premiere play)
by Rachel Lampert 4/24- 5/15. "Words rising from the pages of great novels
& the minds of two aging
friends fuel this new play about memory, love and time." Ithaca HOURS accepted.
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ITHACA WAR & PEACE REPORT
TOMPKINS COUNTY PEACE & JUSTICE CENTER Renting space to progressive
organizations, above Autumn Leaves Books. Pete Meyers 269-0409
TRIAL OF THE ST. PATRICK'S DAY FOUR (4/6 first day jury selection 9am)
contines for 5-7 days.
Tompkins County Court,320 N. Tioga St. Howard Zinn & Ramsey Clark are
among those expected to testify. "The death toll in Iraq continues to
mount daily. Violence only begets more of the same. As further
revelations concerning the lies & deceptions used to drum up support for
the war become exposed, we hope our trial will draw attention to the
criminal activity of our leaders." [email protected]
ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION & JAIL EXPANSION in Tompkins County: "Where
Do We Stand In 2004?" 3/22, 7-9pm, Human Services Bldg., 320 W. State,
Libby deProsse 257-6678
CHURCH AND STATE: THE RADICAL RELIGIOUS RIGHT IN U.S. GOVERNMENT
CORNELL DINING NOW OFFERS FAIR TRADE COFFEE
PEACE POTLUCK first Saturdays by Perry City Friends (Quakers) 11/1 at Perry
City Meeting House, Route 227 in Perry City. Dish to pass 5:30pm;
discussion 7pm. 387-9046
WALKING MEDITATION EVERY SATURDAY noon-1pm, Cornell Plantations, Pergola on
the Pond. "A quiet, slow walk, for finding peace within one's self & in
the world. Children welcome."
THE OTHER PEACE VIGIL, Commons at Aurora St, Wednesdays 8-9am. Bring a
sign. [email protected]
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ITHACA LABOR NEWS
DID YOU CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR AND TELL THEM TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE?
If you live in Ithaca (city and town), Enfield, or Newfield call Senator
Randy Kuhl (776-4111 or 18 Buell, Bath NY 14810). If you live in Lansing,
call Senator Mike Nozzolio (315/568-9816 or 119 Fall Street, Seneca Falls
NY 13148). If you live in Caroline, Danby, Dryden or Groton call Senator
Jim Seward (432-5524 or 41 Main Street, Oneonta NY 13820)
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AMAZING ITHACA HISTORY
DeWitt Historical Society Opens New Enlarged Research Library at the
Tompkins County Museum, 401 East State. 273-8284
The Amazing Ithaca History Calendar 2004 is still available at Autumn
Leaves Books-- now $2.00 ea.
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YOUR LETTERS
"I've missed my Ithaca Community News e-mail. Have I gotten myself
unsubscribed by mistake? Please re-subscribe me if so. Thank you, thank
you!" --Kathryn R.
"Are you still doing the Ithaca Community News electronic newsletter? I
just realized it's been a while since I received it at work; they've put
new spam filters on & some things that aren't spam are being blocked."
---"It was great to read the short article/interview about you in the
Journal last week
[REPLY: Michael Serino's column explained why Ithaca Community News has
been on vacation]
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GODDESS YOGA CLASSES for feminist spirituality. Tools forWOMEN & TEEN
girls to live a fearless life!" 272-3814 Sandy Wold
PLANTS FOR LIFE NEEDS NEW VENUE for annual sale to benefit Ithaca Breast
Cancer Alliance (IBCA), has lost its home in Bartels Hall at Cornell &
seeks donation of large space (7000+ sq ft) for late August or early
September. Please contact Cindy Nicholson 539-6923
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Thanks to Homer & Jane at LIGHTLINK for reliable internet services.
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EDITOR: < a h r e f = " m a i l t o : [email protected] " >[email protected] < / a >
---The Oasis location lost money as a general food retailer after the
public library moved three blocks south.
---Council has not required that 'GreenOasis' supply a specialty niche
(such as bulk, organic or vegan) which could cause shoppers to seek this
location.
---The expansion would distract from implementation of product line &
member labor reforms.
---Council has not required that the new store be operated in a manner
distinct from the current store (such as directly member-managed/operated).
GreenStar sells multinational corporate brands w/GMOs, more sugar than
ever, even containing ingredients which are carcinogenic or teratogenic.
---Council has not required that current Oasis employees (some with 20
years experience) be retained.
---GreenStar's wealth could be applied instead to meeting urgent community
needs: starting a food processing center (to strengthen regional
agriculture), a dental clinic, a food buying club, etc.
---The purchase process violates the co-op principle that members be fully
informed of the financial impacts of such expansion. Even the Finance
Committee was not involved in planning.
---The voting process does not conform to the requirement for a minimum 3
weeks voting. The rush is not democratic. For more info: Elizabeth
Salon 277-2201
---[Votes may be cast at the store or by mail or at 3/30 meeting at Women's
Community Bldg. Votes my be changed by so noting on the second vote
submitted.]
*3/19- "Yes, We're All Human!"- An Evening Of Performance Activism.
7:30-9pm. "In observance of the war on Iraq, join us for a powerful,
thought-provoking experience in dance, theatre and music! Information
tables, food and friends!" Free!.
* 3/19- Sculpting w/ Clay, 1-3pm. Ages 6-12. $8/class or $20 for 3
remaining classes.
* 3/20- The Ambient Takeover (NJ, rock/indie/punk/grunge, Still Contagious
Records), North Star Infinite (Philly, Still Contagious Records), Scream!
Hello (NJ punk, http://www.screamhello.com), Eyepatch (CT, Experimental
Electronic). 7pm. rock/indie/punk/grunge. $5.
* 3/21- The Fallout Project (Quebec hardcore), Selador (local indie),
Bastard Eyes (late 80s norwegian metal), Rabbit, Rabbit. 7pm. $5.
* 3/22- Sculpting with Clay, 1-3pm. Ages 6-12. $8/class. 277-7560.
* 3/24- Figure Study, 6-9pm. $5.
* 3/26- None The Less (local hard rock, http://www.nonethelessband.com),
TheVanburen Crises (philly hardcore), My Last Letter (alternative). 8pm.
$5.
* 3/26- Sculpting with Clay, 1-3pm. $8/class.
* 3/27- I Spoke (Toronto DIY hardcore, http://ispoke.sohc.org more TBA.
7pm. $5.
* 3/31- Figure Study, 6-9pm. $5.
* 3/31- The Degenerates (local punk, http://www.thedegeneratesrock.com Envy
Of Angels (Florida), Never In Red (Florida), Clear As Day (Owego punk).
9:30pm. $5.
---Rogue's Harbor, Lansing, 5:30 -7 pm Mondays, 3/29 -5/3
---Gimme Coffee, W. State Street, Ithaca, 5:30 -7 pm Tuesdays, 3/30 -5/4
---Juna's, Ithaca Commons, 5 -6:30 pm Wednesdays, 3/31- 5/5
---WowNet, N. Aurora Street, Ithaca, 7 -8:30 pm Thursdays, 4/1 -5/6
---Simply Red, Trumansburg, 7:30 -9 pm Thursdays, 4/1 -5/6
Pre-registration not necessary.
---Newfield: 3/23, 7-9 pm High School; Ithaca: 3/25, 7-9 pm Town Hall;
Lansing: 3/30, 7-9 Town Hall
---4/4 SMALL POTATOES. "close harmonies, & amazing hot licks."
---4/11 DULCIE TAYLOR "country flavor sometimes w/bluesy flavor."
---3/31, 4:30-6:00pm, Goldwin Smith Hall: Sex Education and the First
Amendment's Religion Clauses; "What the Religious Right and the Secular
Left Don't Get: Reflections on Free Exercise, Vouchers"
------7:30-9:00pm, TCPL, Rob Boston, "Knocking Down Jefferson's Wall: The
Ongoing Assault on the Separation of Church and State"
---4/1, 4:30-6:00pm, Anabel Taylor Hall, "The Rise of the Religious Right
in the Republican Party"
Joan Bokaer, Director, TheocracyWatch,
------7:30-9:00pm, 165 McGraw Hall, "The Godless Constitution and the
Public Voice of Religion"
Larry Moore, Director of the American Studies Program; The Fuss over God in
the Pledge of Allegiance, Issac Kramnick, Vice Provost for Undergraduate
Education & Professor of Government.
------9:45pm "Onward Christian Soldiers: "This documentary traces the
phenomenal growth & influence of the Christian Coalition, not only on
American politics and diplomacy, but also on American culture."
Cornell Cinema, Willard Straight, free.
---4/2, 7:30-9:00pm, "Legalizing Same Sex Marriage: A Civil Rights Issue
for the United States," Lecture Hall D, Goldwin Smith Hall, Gary Buseck,
Legal Director, Lambda Legal Defense.
---4/3, 1:00pm, "Battle for the Minds." Film documents the rise of
fundamentalism in the largest
Protestant denomination & the impact of that rise on women." Center for
Natural Sciences 112, IC.
------ 2:15pm, Profile of a Pentecostal church in Texas that uses a
Halloween haunted house, complete with fire and brimstone, to scare
teenagers about issues such as AIDS, abortion, and school shootings.
Center for Natural Sciences 112, Ithaca College Hell House
---4/4, 11:00am-noon, Service with sermon by Jim Wallis, editor of
Sojourners magazine, Sage Chapel.
------1:00pm, "Liberty and Justice for Some." Film by People for the
American Way, documentary about the creation of the Moral Majority.
Cornell Cinema. free.
------2:30pm, "Saints and Sinners" film about a Catholic gay couple who
want to marry; calmly &
gently demolishes every possible argument against the subject of gay
marriage. Cornell Cinema, free.
---4/5, 4:45-6:00pm, "Prophetic Politics in an Election Year" Jim Wallis,
editor of Sojourners magazine, Anabel Taylor Hall Chapel.
---6:00-7:15pm, "Going to the Chapel" by Joan Bokaer, a fun interactive
performance with special appearances by Pat Robertson, John Ashcroft, Tom
DeLay, and more of your favorite characters, Common Ground, Pre-show dinner
from the menu, with specials* ** *Menu prices as marked** $5 Donation
"We have to start paying
attention to alternatives that are out there to alleviate a lot of the
poverty in the world, and one of those options is fair trade coffee which
guarantees the farmers who grow coffee a living wage," COLA member Tomer
Malchi '04 said. Pura Vida fair trade coffee at Okenshield's. North Star,
Risley, J's Express, Jansen's, Robert Purcell Marketplace. This follows a
campaign by Cornell Organization for Labor Action, Roots & Shoots, the
Greens, Cornell United Students Against Sweatshops, Society for Natural
Resource Conservation.
---Please consider joining us in tabling encouraging people to write
letters & make phone calls--from the table! Thursdays 3:30-5:30pm on The
Commons; Fridays 1-3pm AFCU; Saturdays 12-2pm GreenStar. [email protected]
---[REPLY] All emails have been retained. ICN has been on vacation since
November 2003.
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--Kris Bennett
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---"I wanted to mention to you that I'm working on two long term
health-related projects. One is educationally based, & is what I'd sort of
call an initiation & reawakening of "modern folk medicine". The aim being
to empower & enlighten individuals to provide their own health care, & to
serve them when utilizing the system. I hope some day to have enough weight
to influence K-12 curricula to expand well beyond the "don't have sex,
don't do drugs" agenda, to a real awareness, understanding, & appreciation
of the body as the miracle I believe it to be.
---"The second project is one even nearer to my heart, & which I have
already met some considerable resistance from even those I agree with most.
Personally, I don't want to see the holistic, compassion based healing
arts gain such mainstream popularity that they are hijacked by the profit
generating powers, as they have already done with the allopathic models.
Too often 'alternative' healers have a chip on their shoulder, & speak with
a defensive attitude, & are ready to take whatever crumbs the Western
mainstream wil toss them. I wonder, why would we want to enter a system
that is so obviously broken? Not when we have such profound strength to
effect possitive change, in health care & society. I would like to create a
compassion based system that gains so much popularity, that doctors bail on
their present mode of operation & join US.
---"My own plan to help initiate this at the moment is to promote a
dialogue between providers & patients that seeks to bring about a standard
of evaluation. This question of "evaluation" is one I see many people
struggling with, & I think the imposition of standards from the outside is
often one of the most direct avenues of control. My thought is that
healers who are clear of their own standards, who are able to communicate
them to the public through an open & dynamic dialogue, will in effect be
creating their own system. One based on their own principles ofcompassion.
I think it will empower them to meet hostile, external forces that seek to
systematize through economic commercialization." --Uriel Carpenter