Local News: August 23, 2023

NOTE: This first item is about suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis please call 988.

- Ithaca College Announces Death of A Student -

An Ithaca College senior died by suicide last week. Tyler Scerbo was 22. The Ithacan reports he was a member of the Track and Field team and planned to graduate this December. Campus officials notified the college community of his death over the weekend. Counseling services are available to Ithaca College students, staff, and faculty. A celebration of his life was held on the campus Tuesday evening. His funeral will be in his home state of New Jersey on August 25. Scerbo’s parents are encouraging anyone with memories of Tyler to share them through the funeral home’s website. A link is here.

- Finger Lakes Golf Course Will Become Protected Wildlife Area -

A former golf course will be converted into a wildlife conservation area by the Finger Lakes Land Trust. The Trust has bought 110 acres in Lansing on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. The property includes a former 9-hole golf course. The land has lakeshore woodlands and meadows. The Trust announced the purchase was made in partnership with the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Eventually, it will be sold to the DEC and become part of a new 400-acre wildlife management area.

- Case Dismissed Against Greenidge Over Water Discharge Permits -

A lawsuit against crypto-mining company, Greenidge, was dismissed by a federal judge this week. The suit was filed by the environmental group, Earthjustice on behalf of three local nonprofits. It challenged the renewal by the state of the company’s water discharge permits. FingerLakes1.com reports the judge’s decision says the case was dismissed for “failure to state a claim” because the permit was reviewed and approved by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The ruling left open the possibility to file a new lawsuit about the company’s water usage. The Greenidge facility is along Seneca Lake. Discharge from it goes into Seneca and Keuka lakes.