9: Katharine Celentano — “The Gift of Life”

9: Katharine Celentano — “The Gift of Life”

Katharine Celentano is a Policy Coordinator with the Drug Policy Alliance. Based in Ithaca, she helps develop and implement state and municipal efforts to address drug use and opiate overdose. We discuss the status of Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) in Tompkins County, the basics of safer consumption spaces, and drug use as a health issue. This episode was recorded December 4, 2018. Chapters: * 0:00 - Introduction * 4:19 - LEAD * 20:31 - Safer consumption spaces * 46:17 - Drug policy Links: * Katharine at the Drug Policy Alliance [http://www.drugpolicy.org/katharine-celentano] * Katharine on Twitter [https://twitter.com/kcelentano]

8: Pete Tyler — “The Community is the Police and the Police are the Community”

Pete Tyler served as Ithaca Police Department's Acting Chief when John Barber retired in March 2017 and was sworn in as Chief in December 2017. We discuss community policing, militarization of the police, the training that IPD officers have to undergo, IPD's staffing needs, and of course... the contract. Editor's notes: This episode was recorded September 17, 2018. The Chief mentions an IPD open house on September 30 that of course has now passed. He also refers to shoplifiting in "Southside" but meant the southwestern portion of the city along Route 13 where the big box stores are.  Chapters: * 0:00 - Intro / Staffing IPD * 13:22 - Community Policing * 24:20 - Militarization of the police * 36:33 - Implicit bias * 50:10 - The contract * 1:02:54 - Working with other law enforcement Links: Ithaca Voice: Ithaca Welcomes New Police Chief [https://ithacavoice.com/2017/12/ithaca-welcomes-new-police-chief-pete-tyler-history-making-today/] Ithaca Times: Community Members Remember Shawn Greenwood [https://www.ithaca.com/news/local_news/community-members-remember-shawn-greenwood/article_e34f7ecc-607d-5df8-b3d2-fb09c9f44a6f.html] Ithaca Voice: City unanimously approves $100K grant for Ithaca SWAT team equipment, training [https://ithacavoice.com/2017/07/city-unanimously-approves-100k-grant-ithaca-swat-team-equipment-training/] Ithaca Times: Police say they are at "breaking point" due to understaffing [https://www.ithaca.com/news/ithaca/police-say-they-are-at-breaking-point-due-to-understaffing/article_5ffebd20-b15f-11e8-9de2-1b4d72f1e235.html]

7: Jolene Almendarez — “Way More Stories Than You Can Ever Do”

We chat with Ithaca Voice Managing Editor Jolene Almendarez as she plans to depart Ithaca for her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. What are the challenges of running a local news non-profit organization? What's frustrating about covering City Hall? Where are the best tacos in Ithaca? And somehow, as always, the conversation turns to housing. Note: This episode was recorded July 4, 2018. On August 20, 2018 Jolene announced her resignation [https://twitter.com/jalmendarez57/status/1031534268055465984] from The Heron. Chapters: * 0:00 - State of local news * 22:52 - Covering City Hall * 36:36 - The San Antonio Heron * 44:18 - Missing Ithaca

6: Lisa Nicholas — “There Will Be Change”

Change is inevitable in any municipality and it's a planner's job to help manage that change. We chat with Lisa Nicholas, the City of Ithaca's Deputy Director of Planning and Development, about what the Planning Department does, what zoning is, Ithaca's biggest planning challenges, the massive Chain Works project, and Phase 2 of the Comprehensive Plan. Links: * City of Ithaca Zoning [https://www.cityofithaca.org/151/Zoning] * Chain Works [https://chainworksdistrict.com] Chapters: * 0:00 - Introduction * 6:59 - Zoning * 14:24 - Urban renewal * 22:30 - Planning challenges * 33:45 - Common Council's role in planning * 50:00 - Chain Works * 57:30 - Comprehensive Plan Phase II

5: Josh Dolan — “Arts! Agriculture! Adventure!”

A chat with Ithaca Festival Executive Director Josh Dolan: his history in the community, behind-the-scenes planning and organization for the Ithaca Festival, what to look forward to at this year's event, and how you can help. ithacafestival.org [http://ithacafestival.org]