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1 – Democratic primary too close to call
Election Results: Max Della Pia closes the night with 26 votes over Tracy Mitrano — With unofficial election results in, Max Della Pia has a strong lead in Tompkins County, but across the district, it is an extremely close race. As district results trickled in late Tuesday, at times Della Pia and Tracy Mitrano traded the lead position by a handful of votes.
As the last three districts came in late Tuesday, Della Pia was the winner by just 26 votes over Mitrano. Really, it’s too close to call until absentee ballots are counted.
In Tompkins County, that vote is happening Monday afternoon.
2 – Not Guilty
Ithaca man found not guilty of rape, sex abuse — An Ithaca man was found not guilty Thursday of raping and sexually abusing a woman in a Lot 10 bathroom about three years ago.
Jonathan “Scar” Smith, 30, was charged with felony first-degree rape and first-degree sex abuse after a woman reported an incident that happened June 6, 2015. The woman told police that she was raped in a bathroom stall by Smith. A rape kit conducted at Cayuga Medical Center later matched with Smith’s DNA and the woman had bruising on her right upper arm.
Smith testified at trial Wednesday and said he met the woman at Lot 10, and she wanted to do cocaine. The two of them went into the men’s bathroom stall to do the drug and, after spending time talking, Smith said the two of them had consensual sex.
3 – Dryden: 140 layoffs expected as Vanguard Printing closes doors for good
Printing facility announces shutdown in Dryden, mass layoffs —It’s a sad day for Dryden. Vanguard Graphics LLC, also known as Vanguard Printing, has announced plans to close its facility at 17 Hallwoods Road, and lay off all its staff.
Notices were given to employees Friday morning. The letters state that layoffs will begin in August and be completed by the end of September. According to an online business filing, Vanguard employs 140 at the Dryden location.
4 – Affordable housing proposed on West State Street
Visum plans affordable housing in State Street Corridor — Visum Development Group was named the fastest growing company in Upstate New York this year, and it appears their interest in their hometown of Ithaca hasn’t abated. Plans shown to the city planning board detail the latest apartment building the firm has planned in the city of Ithaca.
The new 3-story, 12-unit building would be located at 327 West Seneca Street, on the northern edge of what city planners (and consequently, zoning) recognize as the State Street Corridor. Currently, an older 3-unit apartment house exists at the site, and has been for sale for a little over a year.
5 – Election night watch parties in Ithaca
Ithaca Democratic Congressional watch parties yield an energy for change —On election night, pretty much all watch parties are the same: candidate supporters crowd around phones and laptops to see the latest numbers roll in, hoping that the person they’ve supported will win. For the Democratic primary Tuesday, candidates Ian Golden and Max Della Pia both had supporters turn up in Ithaca to hope for the best.
6 – Summer is coming…..I mean, it’s here
Take the heat seriously — Temperatures left Ithacans in sweltering heat this weekend, at some point feeling well past 100 degrees. A heat advisory went into effect Saturday and continues until 10 p.m. Monday. On Sunday, the heat index was over 100 degrees for hours.
This isn’t the end of the high temperatures. All week, highs are expected to be in the 90s or upper 80s, with thunderstorms expected.
7 — Senator Kirsten Gillibrand takes on pharmaceutical prices
In Ithaca, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announces legislation to help bring down prescription drug prices — In a visit Friday to Ithaca, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced new legislation intended to bring down prescription drug prices.
The high cost of prescription drugs is a concern Gillibrand said she has heard from constituents across the state. Many people have to make hard choices to afford their medication.
“For a lot of people, they can’t afford it,” Gillibrand said. “They’re literally making decisions about ‘Do I pay my rent? Do I pay for heat? or Do I pay for my pharmaceuticals?”