Lead vocalist Tariq 'Black Thought' Trotter of The Roots Photo by Ed Dittenhoefer

Welcome to the quickest way to learn the week’s most important local news.

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1 – Hurricanes in Ithaca?

The hurricane that flooded Ithaca — When hearing about the flooding damages to Houston on the news, and the hurricanes that ravaged much of the Caribbean and southeastern United States the past few weeks, it’s easy to think that in the much higher latitudes of Ithaca, there’s little risk here. After all, hurricanes are by definition tropical cyclones, and Ithaca is many things but tropical sure as heck isn’t one of them.

However, tropical storms and hurricanes do pose a local risk.

2 – ‘Everyone has a role to play in preventing suicide’

Out of the Darkness: Nearly 300 people walked for suicide awareness, prevention efforts – Nearly 300 people walked for suicide awareness and prevention effort Saturday at the sixth annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk last week at Cass Park.

The event raised $9,928 and will continue accepting donations until the end of January. As part of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention , the walk funds prevention and mental illness treatment options, and aims to reduce the national rate of suicide by 20 percent by 2025.

3 – Ithaca police charge Cornell student with assault, investigate if it was racially motivated

Ithaca police investigate possible racially motivated assault in Collegetown – Ithaca police are investigating a possibly racially motivated assault that occurred this weekend in Collegetown involving Cornell University students.

A 19-year-old Cornell University student, John Greenwood, has been charged in connection with the incident. According to witness accounts in court records, Greenwood assaulted a black Cornell student and used racial slurs. There were several follow-ups to this story last week. In the latest, Greenwood emailed a statement to media apologizing for his “completely unacceptable and inappropriate” language.

4 – Residents near Ithaca College robbed at gunpoint

Police looking for three men allegedly linked to armed robbery near Ithaca College — Police continue to look for three men they say robbed an apartment at gunpoint last week near Ithaca College.

Police responded around 2:30 a.m. to an apartment in the 200 block of Coddington Road after the incident, according to a news release from Ithaca College. A resident said cash and items were taken from the home.

5 – Learn the faces and stories of unsung suffragists

Suffragists’ portraits and stories celebrated in exhibition at History Center – The portraits and stories of unsung women who fought for suffrage will be on display at the History Center for an upcoming exhibition celebrating the centennial of women’s right to vote in New York.

Artist Christine Nobles Heller, formerly of Ithaca, has created portraits and large murals of suffragists for the upcoming exhibition, “Truth is the Only Safe Ground to Stand Upon,” part of “Portraits of Suffragists to Celebrate the Centennial of Women’s Right to Vote in New York State.”

The exhibition will run until Nov. 4.

Christine Nobles Heller works on a mural of Matilda Joslyn Gage at the History Center. Kelsey O’Connor/Ithaca Voice

6 – Ithaca native details experience weathering Hurricane Irma on St. John

Ithaca native recalls harrowing experience weathering Hurricane Irma on St. John Ithaca native Katie Gasteiger, who had lived on St. John for the past year, is one of thousands of residents who have fled the U.S. Virgin Islands after hurricanes have devastated the small islands that are typically a tourist oasis.

Describing the several hours of the storm with winds up to 185 miles per hour, Gasteiger said “You can’t listen to those sounds and see what you’re seeing outside these windows and believe there’s anything left.”

Post-Irma damage. Provided by Katie Gasteiger

7 – Do the dots connect? Re-trial of Nagee Green continues

Cornell homicide retrial: prosecutor tells jury to connect the dots, defense says dots don’t connect — After days of jury selection, opening statements for the Cornell homicide case started yesterday with a prosecutor calling for the jury to connect the dots for a conviction and the defense saying that there is no evidence that the defendant killed anyone.

Nagee Green is on trial a second time after a jury was deadlocked over a murder charge against him in June. Green is accused of fatally stabbing Anthony Nazaire in the chest during a street brawl that broke out after a party at Cornell University on Aug. 28, 2016.

8 – One week. 108 tickets for distracted driving.

Ithaca police issue 108 distracted driving tickets during 8-day crackdown — During an eight-day push to crack down on distracted driving, the Ithaca Police Department issued 108 tickets throughout the city. Before the push, the department issued an average of 17 distracted driving tickets per month this year.

“There is no doubt in my mind that this strong enforcement aspect, coupled with the ongoing Distracted Driving Diversion Class, clearly demonstrates our commitment to not only enforcing the law but to educate the driving public of the dangers associated with these violations in an effort to change the dangerous behavior,” IPD Sergeant Barry Banfield said in a news release.

9 – West Hill road project draws concern from neighbors

Five jurors chosen in Cornell murder re-trial: “Can you put together the rest of the puzzle?” — For anyone on West Hill’s listserve, the messages have been coming in droves. There’s a road reconstruction project coming for a 1,080 foot length of the 1000 Block of West State/Martin Luther King Jr. Street corridor over Inlet Island. People are, well…a bit upset.

For those interested, the project opponents and some advocates will be attending the Board of Public Works meeting Monday the 25th at 4:45 p.m. at Ithaca City Hall.

10 – Ithaca is musical!

Music was the theme this weekend, with the Cayuga Sound Festival in Stewart Park plus Porchfest in Fall Creek.

Cayuga Sound Festival: ‘F— yeah’ Ithaca was up for hosting new music tradition — Ithaca is known for its vibrant festivals, and now there’s another one to add to the list. On Saturday Sept. 23, Ithaca hosted its first annual Cayuga Sound Festival, founded and curated by now-famous Ithaca band, X Ambassadors. Working alongside upstate New York-based booking agency, DSP Shows, the band helped aggregate a lineup as diverse as the music they were exposed to growing up in Ithaca.

Don’t miss this incredible photo gallery by Ed Dittenhoefer.

Music filled weekend doesn’t deter people from crowding streets for 11th annual Porchfest — Despite the kickoff of Ithaca’s newest music festival this weekend, Ithacans were not too worn out to jam out at the 11th annual Porchfest. Nearly 200 bands officially signed up to perform throughout the Fall Creek neighborhood and other musicians crowded onto yards to draw in listeners and dancers.

Lead vocalist Tariq ‘Black Thought’ Trotter of The Roots Photo by Ed Dittenhoefer

Kelsey O'Connor is the managing editor for the Ithaca Voice. Questions? Story tips? Contact her at koconnor@ithacavoice.com and follow her on Twitter @bykelseyoconnor.