TompkinsWeekly for the week of June 1st

Download the newspaper in Acrobat Format Here Alternative Zoning Examined A dialogue designed to support alternative land use regulations proposed by local governments will be offered by the Form Ithaca zoning reform initiative, which will bring to Ithaca this week leading urban designers, traffic engineers and development experts to collaborate with citizens, officials, local planners and design professionals in a four-day intensive work session exploring how to implement forward-thinking planning ideas of the City and Town of Ithaca. Full Story »   Promoting Israeli-Palestinian Peace In an effort to promote nonviolent social change, Ali Abu Awwad, a leading Palestinian activist, and Hanan Schlesinger, an Israeli Orthodox rabbi, have launched a joint grassroots initiative named Roots/Judur/ Shorashim. Their current tour brings them to Ithaca on Wednesday, June 3, at The Space @ GreenStar, with dinner and text study at 5:30 p.m. and the main event at 7 p.m. Full Story »   Cyclists help promote heart health page 2 A group of some 150 cyclists will come together on Saturday, June 13, to raise awareness of a health hazard that nearly killed King Ferry Winery Peter Saltonstall two years ago and remains the number-one killer in America: heart disease. Full Story »   New cider house opens its doors page 3 The Finger Lakes Cider House celebrated its grand opening on May 25 in conjunction with the fourth annual Asaparaganza festival at Good Life Farm in Interlaken. Full Story »   Children’s book is a tribute to noted artist page 5 You can’t live in Ithaca without hearing the name Louis Agassiz Fuertes at least once in your life. Especially if you visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where there is an auditorium bearing his name. Full Story »   Coworking gains a foothold in Ithaca page 8 “What do you do?” We answer this familiar question with our occupation, rather than our hobbies or lifestyle—and for good reason. Americans spend roughly half of our waking life at work. It’s a big part of who we are, and it affects our quality of life. Full Story »   Comicbook heroes on the big screen page 9 And from the opening frames it acts like one, with a kinetic, even frantic opening attack on the Sokovian lair of Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Krestschmann, who even wears the requisite monocle) to retrieve Thor’s scepter. In quick beats, each superhero comes into view, then a money-shot of the whole team as it clicks into place. As the Avengers coordinate their attack they suffer the one-two punches of genetically modified twins Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) aka Quicksilver, a Flash-type, and his spookier sister Wanda/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), a mind-bender and telekinetic. Scarlet Witch gets into most of the Avengers’ minds, sending them deep into illusions built on their personal fears. Full Story »