August 22-28, 2016 Keeping You Connected TOMPKINS WEEKLY Locally Owned & Operated TompkinsWeekly.com Vol. 11, No. 26 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Bound For Glory celebrates 50 years on the airwaves By Sue Smith-Heavenrich WVBR’s Bound for Glory is North America’s longest-running live folk concert broadcast and starts its New managing editor for 50th year this fall. at’s the sort of milestone that deserves a party, and Tompkins Weekly page 3 according to host Phil Shapiro, there will indeed be one. e 50-year cel- ebration kicks o at Anabel Taylor Hall on Aug. 28 with music, talk, and lots of cake. e live show will feature Mark Rust, a songwriter and per- former from Woodstock. Shapiro started hosting Bound for Glory back in 1967, when he came to Cornell University for grad school. “First thing I did,” he said, “was make a beeline for the radio station.” Back then WVBR’s programming leaned heavily toward classical music. Shap- iro, who had hosted a folk radio pro- Legendary IC football coach gram at his previous college, wanted to continue that tradition in Ithaca. / Jim Harper Provided Photo to retire page 5 e director was ambivalent, but af- Bound for Glory radio host Phil Shapiro (right) and Carrie Shore performed at a ter Shapiro knocked on his door a few Bound for Glory live show earlier this year. times, he asked Phil to do a Sunday night show. Hall every Sunday. Since then, Sha- “We get performers from all over “e rst couple years I did live piro has hosted 32 live shows a year, the world,” Shapiro said. Bound for music from the studios,” Shapiro re- each consisting of three 30-minute Glory is well known throughout the called, “plus three festivals broadcast sets. Between sets he plays from al- folk world, he explained. Performers from Anabel Taylor Hall.” In 1969, bums, giving musicians a break and on tour try to schedule a stop when the program director challenged him audience members a chance to stretch they’re in the Ithaca area. is fall’s to broadcast live from Anabel Taylor their legs. Continued on page 12 High school sports seasons are underway page 6 Local students intern in sciences By Eric Banford e Boyce ompson Institute (BTI) at Cornell University recently nished the 2016 summer internship project in its annual Plant Genome Research Program, an intensive sum- mer program for dedicated students. It focuses on the elds of Science, Tech- nology, Engineering, and Mathemat- ics (STEM), which are all applied to hands-on plant research. Nearly 269 college students and 50 high school Gorge safety emphasized in students have conducted research at East Hill Notes page 7 BTI through this distinctive program since 2006 and over 70 percent have been residents of Tompkins County. e highly-selective program re- TCAT testing new seats on ceives around 400 applicants each year, select buses page 8 and accepts only 30 students. is year the program welcomed 21 undergrad- Photo Banford Eric uate college students from across the A highly-selective summer internship program through Cornell University’s country, six local high school students, as well as one from Germany. Boyce Thompson Institute gave six local high-school students an opportunity Luc Wetherbee is a rising senior to immerse themselves in science research with college students and mentors. from Ithaca High School and was Among the participants was Ithaca High School rising senior Luc Wetherbee of one of the local students who com- Cayuga Heights, shown here explaining his biology research. pleted the program. He is primarily interested in physics, but said that this intensive biology experience was both lecting seeds and putting them in test ing to a graduate program in a STEM rigorous and rewarding. “ere is a tubes.” eld,” Fleming said, “so that’s really very big time commitment. I’ve been Tiany Fleming is BTI’s Direc- positive and encouraging. Many of working 35 hours a week on this. It’s tor of Education and Outreach. She our students also come back as alumni Lansing teen succeeds in BTI not summer camp,” he said. “e lab conveyed that the students involved to work as mentors.” page 12 experience is very fun, and I’ve been in this program are very committed to “We have three distinct programs,” summer program doing a lot of gritty, hands-on stu this area of learning. “Around 80 per- she continued. “One is focused on with plants such as uprooting, col- cent of our students will end up go- Continued on page 12 Brooktondale center improves to serve users By EC Barrett the Brooktondale Fire Company moved to new facilities, provides the e Brooktondale Community space for the Caroline Food Pantry’s Center (BCC) was founded in the bi-weekly distribution of food to area 1960s, and continues to serve not only residents. “e BCC’s donation of Brooktondale, but all of Caroline and space for receipt, storage and dispens- close neighbors in Danby, Dryden ing of food is invaluable to the service and the Town of Ithaca. Currently, the of the pantry to the community, which center is undergoing a revitalization provides food to some 100 local fami- project as the all-volunteer Board of lies, serving around 300 individuals, Directors takes on capital improve- including children,” said board mem- ments and reintroducing the Center ber and pantry liaison Martin Hatch. to the community. e truck bay also houses the weekly It will welcome communities to Farmers Market on Tuesday evenings take advantage of the revitalization from June through September. and explore the BCC’s oerings with Even with all of this activity, board a Summer Celebration event Aug. 27. members see the potential for ex- e event begins with a BBQ, music panding the services oered by the and games at 5 p.m. and will switch BCC and hope that updating the over to popcorn and movies projected appearance and functionality of the on the freshly painted back wall of the center will not only increase com- center at dusk. munity enjoyment but bolster eorts e BBC was founded after the at recruiting more regular use of the death of two local teenagers in the ear- facilities, such as attracting an after- ly 1960s. at motivated community school program or daycare. “e main members to create a space focused on building is being painted, outside and youth recreation. In the decades since, in,” said Adams. “e outside will fea- Photo EC Barrett the center has expanded to two build- ture a mural by local artist Mary Beth Continued improvements and capital projects at the Brooktondale Community ings, and while maintaining an em- Ihnken, who has done a great deal of Center will be discussed and celebrated at an Aug. 27 event. BCC co-chairs Carol phasis on youth activities, has become public art in and around Ithaca. Her Barra (left) and Barry Adams are pictured near the facility’s mural by local artist a versatile meeting and event space. design features the famous Brookton- Mary Beth Ihnken. “Each building serves a variety of dale railroad trestle, as well as the mill functions,” said board co-chair Barry that was consumed by a practice burn Adams. “A toddler play group utilizes just before the community center was mer Celebration is to gather com- phase as well, utilizing volunteer labor the main building and the playground built.” munity input about design as well as to decrease costs. “As a not-for-prot behind it and the Caroline Seniors As well as updating the look of the types of equipment. organization, we are heavily reliant hold their monthly dish-to-pass here. center, a large covered pavilion is cur- “is event is a celebration and rec- on nancial donations from the pub- We have an annual Halloween spook rently in the planning stages with a ognition of all the work that has been lic and fund-raising projects like the house, a popular six-week summer tentative groundbreaking this fall. e done in and around the BCC build- annual Apple Festival, as well as sig- camp and various civic activities, such new pavilion will house the Farm- ings,” said board co-chair Carol Barra. nicant support from United Way of as the Meet the Candidates nights ers Market, provide a space for out- “We want to engage the broader area Tompkins County,” said Adams. But sponsored by the League of Women door musical events and parties, and community in participating in our the nal push for the playground, de- Voters.” give parents a comfortable space from next big project — the re-designed pending on concept and design will Both buildings have kitchen facili- which to watch their children on the and revitalized playground. We will require a community-wide eort. ties, dining areas and meeting spaces soon-to-be rebuilt playground. be asking attendees to take a couple of e Summer Celebration event is available for free for community meals Board members have been plan- minutes to respond to a questionnaire free and open to the public and will and events, and for rent for private ning and fundraising to remove and aimed at soliciting ideas for the new be held rain or shine, moving indoors parties, meetings and food prepara- replace the aging play structures be- playgrounds.” to the main BCC event space in the tion activities. e truck bay of the old hind the main building over the last Board members hope to involve event of rain. For more information re hall, purchased by the center when few years.