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1 – Man no longer in custody after injuring woman with machete
Lansing man arrested after police say he assaulted woman with machete— Daniel I. Truesdale, 47, is charged with felony first-degree assault after reportedly attacking a woman with the machete. Police say Truesdale caused “serious physical injuries” to the female victim’s face.
A jail official said Truesdale is no longer in custody as of Monday morning, meaning he likely met his $5,000 dollar cash bail or $10,000 bond.
2 – Myrick breaks 5-5 tie voting against historic designation of The Nines building
No historic designation for The Nines in Collegetown, Mayor Svante Myrick breaks tie — More than five hours after the meeting started Tuesday night, the Common Council members were still divided about the contentious issue of historic designation of The Nines building and voted 5-5 on the issue. Mayor Svante Myrick broke the tie without a moment of hesitation, voting against the designation.
The controversy involving The Nines has taken place over the last 10 months and is complex on both sides of the issue. On one side are the people who believe that after dedicating nearly a lifetime toward running a local business, the owners of The Nines should be free to sell their property for as much money as developers are willing to pay for it. On the other side is a charge being led by the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission which decided last year to take action toward making the site historically designated, an idea first formally considered in 2009. The commission was interested in the building former status as a fire station from the latter 1800s to 1960s.
3 – Arrest made in Collegetown hit and run
Police: Ithaca man charged after hitting construction worker and fleeing scene — Last Monday morning, police say a construction worker was struck by someone speeding in a white Ford Mustang. The driver fled the scene after striking a 56-year-old flag worker on the 100 block of Cradit Farm Drive.
Ithaca man Adriaan Schiltkamp, 25, was later arrested and ticketed for failing to comply with a flag person, driving left of pavement markings and the misdemeanors of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and reckless driving.
4 – Empire Passes now available for checkout at library
Tompkins library card holders can now check out Empire Passes — Want to explore some of New York’s state parks this summer? Whether you want to swim at Treman State Park or take a trip to the Adirondacks, people who have a Tompkins County Public Library card can now check out Empire Passes.
TCPL announced Thursday that four New York State Empire Passes have been added to its “Library of Things,” a service that lets people check out umbrellas, tote bags, reading glasses, tools, reading devices and all sorts of useful items.
5 – Trinitas proposal fits zoning, but does it “fit” Varna?
Is Varna’s future going according to plan? —Anecdotally speaking, Varna is a favorite for, shall we say, the uninitiated but aspiring developers of the Tompkins County real estate scene. At a glance, it checks off a lot of boxes – close to Cornell University and the city of Ithaca, so it has appeal to graduate/professional students and commuters; infrastructure already in place, lower land values and prices than the city, and less onerous development review procedures.
Then they get around to proposing their project in Varna. The general advice is this – tread carefully.
6 – $14.2 million airport grant formally accepted by Tompkins Legislature
Tompkins commits to investing in airport redevelopment — By accepting a $14.2 million grant from New York State, Tompkins County has officially taken on the responsibility of expanding the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport.
The total cost of the project will be about $24 million, and the airport and county are now responsible for finding a way to cover the rest of the cost.
Tompkins County legislators voted unanimously in favor of accepting the grant Tuesday.
7 — Police still searching for robbery suspect
IPD searching for suspects that punched, robbed person in Downtown Ithaca – Ithaca police are seeking information on suspects that allegedly punched and robbed a person early Sunday on West Green Street.
Police responded to the 100 block of West Green Street at 4:24 a.m. Sunday for a reported robbery. The victim told police he was punched in the face and robbed by a group of young men while standing on the sidewalk. During the assault, the suspects stole the man’s wallet and cell phone.
Police are asking anyone with information that could help the investigation contact the Ithaca Police Department.