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1 – Can new zoning help mall business?
Ithaca Mall hopes new zoning will help business — With the closing of many big chain stores across the country, it’s a rough time to be in the business of shopping malls. The owners of the Shoppes at Ithaca Mall are hoping the village of Lansing can give them some more flexibility with new zoning.
The owners of the property are proposing a Planned Development Area (PDA) for the mall that would allow them to subdivide the larger stores and services, such as Dick’s, Regal Cinemas, and Best Buy, and require the tenants of those spaces to buy their store spaces.
2 – Arraignment of John Greenwood delayed months
District Attorney: Cornell student John Greenwood’s arraignment will be delayed by months – The arraignment of Cornell student John Greenwood will be delayed by months due to a request by the District Attorney’s Office.
Greenwood was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning on misdemeanor charges for third-degree assault and second-degree harassment. Instead, the arraignment will take place Dec. 1 at Ithaca City Court.
Related to this case, Ithaca police have not released a mugshot of Greenwood. The Ithaca Voice asked police why and asked the Committee on Open Government to weigh in.
3 – Suspicious package delivered to Planned Parenthood causes alarm
Update: Suspicious package delivered to Planned Parenthood found to be safe – On Monday, Police were called to investigate a suspicious package delivered to Planned Parenthood. The package was ultimately deemed safe.
What made the delivery suspicious was how it was packaged. Public Information Officer Jamie Williamson said the package, which was delivered by the post office was wrapped entirely in packing tape. The facility was closed for several hours as police made sure the package did not include any hazardous materials.
4 – Looking back at flooding in Ithaca
Flooding in Ithaca: Because blizzards aren’t bad enough — This weather history piece builds off of the hurricane article last week, which discussed the historical context of hurricanes in the Ithaca area. There’s no doubt Ithaca’s seen some sizable deluges from tropical storms and hurricane impacting the region. But when it comes to the most disastrous local floods, their sources are anything but tropical.
This piece starts with a massive flood in 1857 that had Downtown Ithaca underwater and examines other major flooding events in the county’s history. Ithaca has come a long way in flood control since then.
5 – Here are a few ways to help with Puerto Rico efforts
How to help: Community rallies hurricane relief for Puerto Rico and others – As Puerto Rico struggles to recover after Hurricane Maria, members of the Ithaca community are doing what they can to help from afar. Members of the Puerto Rican Students Association at Cornell University are collecting donations in the form of goods and money to help Puerto Rico begin the slow process of rebuilding.
Know of other ways the community can help? Send an email to tips@ithacavoice.com as we update our list.
6 – Former Trumansburg officer escapes custody
Former Trumansburg cop found, arrested in Spencer after escaping police custody Tuesday — A former Trumansburg police officer who managed to escape arrest while taking a cigarette break Tuesday has been tracked down and taken into custody in Spencer.
Andrew Jacobsen, 32, was taken into custody around 7:30 pm. after being on the lam for around 24 hours. Jacobsen was initially arrested by several Trumansburg police officers at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday and charged with felony grand larceny regarding the theft of about $4,000 in jewelry, Trumansburg Police Chief Tom Ferretti said. There was also a felony bench warrant out for Jacobsen from New York State Police in Ithaca for forgery.
7 – Garden atop McGraw House is an oasis for residents
McGraw House’s garden is a rooftop oasis on Geneva Street — McGraw House has a beautiful secret, invisible from the sidewalk on Geneva Street.
Invisible, except for Diana Kenyon’s sunflower, stretching proudly toward the sky through a wooden pergola. On the roof of the building is a garden oasis, filled with nearly 50 vegetable and flower boxes for residents and their guests to tend and enjoy.
8 – Ex-deputy sentenced to time served
Ex-cop Jeremy Vann sentenced to time served after domestic violence, other accusations — Former Tompkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Vann was sentenced to time served Thursday morning two-and-a-half years after he was accused of beating a woman, hiding evidence of the crime and trying to influence a witness.
Vann was initially facing 16 charges related to the March 2015 incident and was eventually convicted of two counts of second-degree attempted coercion and fourth-degree tampering with a witness.The jury was deadlocked on a tampering with physical evidence charge. Vann, 32,was initially sentenced to 30-days in jail and a three-year probation period. Upon submission of a stay of judgement appeal to the third-division appellate court, he was released on $10,000 bail.
9 – Nagee Green found guilty of murder after second trial
Cornell homicide: jury finds accused man guilty of murder after re-trial — It’s been two days since closing statements were made in the re-trial of Nagee Green, and jurors have finally reached a verdict finding the defendant guilty of second-degree murder.
Green, the man accused of fatally stabbing 19-year-old Ithaca College student Anthony Nazaire, faced murder and assault charges following an incident on Aug. 28, 2016. Green was initially put on trial for those charges in June which lasted nearly three weeks. Testimonies throughout the initial trial revealed details of the night in late August where a party at Cornell University turned tragic.
10 – Apple Harvest Festival fills Downtown Ithaca
Gallery: 20 photos from the first day of Ithaca’s 35th Annual Apple Harvest Festival — Apples, pies, pumpkins, cider, fair foods and wares drew a massive crowd to the Ithaca Commons for the 35th Annual Apple Harvest Festival. Check out a gallery of the festival.
Also don’t miss our video of the event: