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1 – Tompkins deputy honored for work during ‘chaotic’ scene
Tompkins deputy honored for action during ‘chaotic’ incident — In what was one of the most stressful moments of her career, colleagues of Tompkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Makenzi Alling said she maintained her composure when a child custody incident in Enfield turned chaotic.
In February 2017, Alling responded a house in Enfield for a child custody complaint involving the emergency removal of a child from the mother. Alling was there to assist the biological father who had paperwork ordering the removal of the child from the mother. The scene increasingly grew “chaotic and stressful,” Sgt. Ryan Slocum said.
Last week, Alling received the Frank G. Hammer Office of the Month Award from the Kiwanis Club of Ithaca-Cayuga.
2 – Dedication to the details
Brooktondale man helps fix 120-year error — For Tim Larkin, it’s been a rather long process to get the name of a local creek corrected. Perhaps one could say it was a six mile journey.
Most folks are familiar with Sixmile Creek, which winds down from its hilly tributaries, flows through the placid hamlet of Brooktondale and the farms of Caroline. It serves the Ithaca Reservoir in the like-named town, and courses through the heart of downtown Ithaca, bisecting Southside before emptying its content into the inlet. There are trails and gorges named after it. There’s a vineyard that takes it name from it. There are high-end loft apartments that pay homage to it.
Now take a look at that paragraph again. Does something look odd?
3 – Puppy starts house fire; everyone is OK
German Shepherd puppy starts Monday house fire in Ithaca — A German Shepherd puppy’s shenanigans turned dangerous Monday evening when the puppy accidentally turned on a stove burner while trying to jump on a counter.
Around 4:50 p.m. Monday, firefighters from the Ithaca Fire Department were called to a smoke-filled home on the 300 block of East State Street. Upon investigation, they determined that the puppy was left home alone and a cutting board near the stove top ignited when the puppy turned the burner on.
No pets or people were injured during the incident.
4 – What happened to Ithaca’s parking director? City officials not saying
What happened to Ithaca’s parking director? City officials silent — It appears Frank Nagy is no longer director of parking with the City of Ithaca.
On Thursday, an automatic reply came back from Nagy’s city email stating, “Frank Nagy is no longer with the City of Ithaca.”
City of Ithaca officials have been silent about Nagy’s employment status and what happened. But, at the top of the city’s job openings page is “Director of Parking.” The parking division page of the city’s website also lists the director position as vacant.
5 – City of Ithaca recognized for climate strides
City of Ithaca named 17th Climate Smart Community in New York — The City of Ithaca has been recognized as a Climate Smart Community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and putting plans in place to address climate change.
“Since 2012, the city of Ithaca has purchased enough Green-E Certified Renewable Energy Credits to offset 100 percent of its electricity use in municipal facilities. As a result of these RECs and biogas from the local waste water treatment plant, about two thirds of the total energy used in city facilities comes from renewable energy,” the DEC said in a news release.
6 – Tompkins Center for History and Culture to be ‘jumping off point’ for learning about community
New downtown attraction 200 years in the making — Renovations are set to begin soon for the new Tompkins Center for History and Culture. The center will be designed as a cultural hub right on the Ithaca Commons.
“It’s really a jumping off point for learning about our community. We have a lot of really unique stories to share about our history and Tompkins County, from aviation, to film-making, higher education and the arts. We can help people learn about Ithaca’s outsized role in different industries and movements. There’ll be tours, a visitor’s center, the Community Arts Partnerships’ gallery space and information on everything from events to other attractions to trails they could visit. The Sustainability Center is involved as well, so there’s also a ‘look forward’ piece about Ithaca’s role in the future. There will be a museum experience, there will also be event space there, gallery nights, community events, I anticipate it being a vibrant space,” said former Tompkins County Tourism Program Director Tom Knipe.
7 – Halal grocery, doughnut shops and more coming to Downtown Ithaca
Doughnut shops, Halal grocery, bridal boutique and specialty salon to set up shop in downtown Ithaca — The Downtown Ithaca Alliance announced the four finalists and grand prize winner for their “Race for the Space II” competition on Thursday morning in Ithaca’s City Hall.
The contest, which initially began to attract and encourage entrepreneurs starting out in Ithaca, was designed to award small businesses with full or partial rent for retail space in the first year. This year, four of the five finalists will set up shop in Press Bay Court, a renovation project at 110 W. Green Street which was kicked off by Urban Core LLC.
Read more about what shops will be opening soon in Downtown Ithaca.
8 – Festival of Fire and Ice brings magic and fun in middle of winter
Festival of Fire and Ice brings a dose of magic to the dead of winter — With steaming cauldrons of hot cocoa, fire spinning and marshmallows roasting over bonfires, the sixth annual Festival of Fire & Ice brought winter outdoor play to life at the Ithaca Children’s Garden on Saturday.
“People bring their own sleds and shovels. The ice mounds always start to get hacked away and reformed. They kind of evolve over the afternoon; they’ll get tunnels and the whole things changes shape. It’s a place for play and evolution,” said Andrea Bruns, the Fire & Ice Festival’s events coordinator.
9 – McLean man accused of sexually abusing child
McLean man indicted on charges of sexually abusing child — A Tompkins County grand jury has indicted a McLean man charged with sexually abusing a 5-year-old girl.
Joseph S. Ingrahm, 62, of McLean, was indicted Thursday on charges of first-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.
According to court records, on Jan. 18, Ingrahm was left alone in a room with a 5-year-old girl in Groton. Records state that Ingrahm had the child on his lap and touched the girl inappropriately over her clothing.
10 – Man pleads guilty to murdering Josie Berrios
Man pleads guilty to murdering woman in Collegetown — A Dryden man pleaded guilty Friday afternoon to murdering a woman in Collegetown last summer and could face up to life in prison for the crime.
Michael A. Davis, 47, killed Josie Berrios, 28, an Ithaca woman who was found dead at a construction site at 209/215 Dryden Road on June 13. He was indicted in July on charges of first-degree arson and first-degree murder.
Police say officers found Berrios at the scene, an unfinished office building, with ‘apparent burns’ to her body. Police also reported that gasoline was found nearby. According to the District Attorney’s office, Davis was responsible for starting the fire which ultimately caused Berrios to die. Court documents state that the cause of Berrios’ death was smoke inhalation.
Featured image: Michael A. Davis exits Tompkins County Court on Friday. Alyvia Covert/Ithaca Voice