Tompkins Weekly

Ithaca’s proposed 2027 budget closes an $8 million gap with cuts and savings while raising the median homeowner’s city tax bill by an estimated $13.89. tompkinsweekly.com/news/itha…

Newfield High reports strong cell phone ban compliance, but students and staff want more consistent enforcement. The district is also testing wired headphones for school-laptop music streaming. tompkinsweekly.com/news/newf…

Trumansburg approved a $7,333 hazardous-materials survey of its fire hall before planned renovations, including inspections for asbestos, lead paint and PCBs. tompkinsweekly.com/news/trum…

Groton Center Village Court residents honored local first responders with handmade gift baskets and a reception organized by events coordinator Crystal Wyant. tompkinsweekly.com/news/grot…

Lansing schools will press state leaders for funding as new mandates—from electric buses to graduate-readiness goals—add costs that district officials say current aid does not cover. tompkinsweekly.com/news/lans…

Freeville volunteers have replaced a washed-out footbridge at Genung Nature Preserve, helping maintain trails through the 53-acre Fall Creek property. tompkinsweekly.com/news/genu…

Newfield residents raised concerns about diesel and chemical smells at Sapphire Farms. The company says a generator and fire-retardant spray caused the odors, while extraction has not begun. tompkinsweekly.com/news/sapp…

Tompkins County Poet Laureate nicole v basta brings her “Home Water” writing tour to Trumansburg’s Ulysses Philomatic Library on Oct. 27, exploring water, AI and environmental stress. tompkinsweekly.com/news/poet…

Tompkins Weekly marks 20 years of countywide reporting as it adapts to shifting technology, rising costs and the enduring need for local news. tompkinsweekly.com/news/tomp…

Ithaca College has begun exploring a new academic structure aimed at easing cross-disciplinary study and supporting long-term stability. No programs or degree requirements are changing this year. tompkinsweekly.com/news/itha…

Engineering reviews found Enfield’s cracked Bostwick Road culvert is structurally sound, allowing repairs and waterproofing to proceed as the town targets an end-of-October reopening. tompkinsweekly.com/news/new-…

A proposed Lansing battery storage site needs a variance for a 10-foot acoustic fence around Tesla battery units. The Zoning Board of Appeals is expected to consider the request Oct. 14. tompkinsweekly.com/news/lans…

Dryden’s Route 13 pedestrian and bicycle bridge could open by early November, linking the east and west sections of the Rail Trail. tompkinsweekly.com/news/dryd…

B&W Supply Co. marks 50 years equipping Ithaca-area kitchens, from local restaurants to major projects like the Buffalo Bills’ Highmark Stadium. tompkinsweekly.com/news/bw-s…

DEC expects to begin dredging Cayuga Inlet in 2027, removing up to 206,043 cubic yards of sediment to improve flood protection and navigation in Ithaca. tompkinsweekly.com/news/itha…

Trumansburg Encore Players’ “Darker Hearts” gives notorious villains a comic, musical chance to tell their side of the story Oct. 15-17 at the Conservatory of Fine Arts. tompkinsweekly.com/news/trum…

Groton deputy treasurer Angela Conger earned her municipal finance credential and received the D.B.H. Dalrymple Community Service Award for years of volunteer service. tompkinsweekly.com/news/grot…

Ithaca’s zoning board cleared Nexamp to remove up to 23.16 acres of woodland for its proposed Bomber Heights solar-and-battery project, though final approvals and permits are still required. tompkinsweekly.com/news/bomb…

Newfield United Methodist Church’s fall festival returns Oct. 17 with local vendors, a bake sale, silent auction and luncheon. Proceeds support the women’s group’s mission work. tompkinsweekly.com/news/newf…

Lansing officials are exploring a permanent local ban on data centers after 36 speakers urged action at a Sept. 29 meeting. tompkinsweekly.com/news/lans…