Cornell encampment dismantled after 18 days, NY botched legal pot, identify your plants

Good morning ☀️

It’s Wednesday again and I’d like to start off by apologizing for an error in yesterday’s Daily Briefing. The polling date for the Ithaca City School District Board of Education’s school board election and budget vote is May 21. The board will accept votes from noon to 9 p.m. I hope this gives anyone interested in voicing their opinion on the budget some extra time to do so.

If someone forwarded this to you, click the sign-up link here for more updates, and don’t forget to spread the word to anyone else who might enjoy giving it a read.

Without further ado, here’s an update on the Cornell Palestine protest encampment.

CML encampment voluntarily dismantled after 18 days

Anyone walking through the Cornell University Arts Quad may have noticed the tents and signs flaunting a “liberated zone” in protest of Cornell’s involvement in the Israel-Hamas conflict over the past few weeks.

The Student-led Coalition for Mutual Liberation held a vigil Monday to honor the lives of Palestinians lost in Rafah before organizers began to strip down the tents and ramshackle barrier walls to the encampment, constructed on the university’s Arts Quad by protesters from the group April 25.

The group released background information on its recent protests in a post on its Instagram page, which also notes that negotiations with the college will continue, urging those involved to “stay tuned for more updates.”

Learn more about the encampment and what exactly went on inside during Cornell’s student protests with some help from my recent article on the subject.

Here’s some more of what you need to know today

NY botched legal pot but set its sights on more licensing and illicit shutdowns: The cannabis industry rollout in New York has now spurred Gov. Kathy Hochul to overhaul the poorly run state agency that stifled marijuana business growth and fueled an explosion of illicit cannabis shops, state records show.

National grocer with two Ithaca locations recalls popular breakfast item: Aldi has recalled 8oz packages of its own generic brand of cream cheese, sold in over 20 states, after a report of possible salmonella exposure. Read this article by Emily DeLette r to find out if your bagels should have cream cheese this morning.

Beloved midday farmers market returns: The Ithaca Farmers Market is eyeing a return to Downtown Ithaca’s Dewitt Park this June, where it plans to offer many of the usual draws of the market's main location off Third Street at Steamboat Landing. Check out this article on 14850.com for more details.

A bite from the backyard never hurt anybody … anybody who could identify plants that is 🌿

Recently my beloved girlfriend Ellie and I embarked on a new journey together, filled with dirt, worm husks, and failed seedlings.

That’s right, we’re first-time gardeners, and while it may not be as easy as filling up some pots and watching your seeds grow, there is another, faster, and a bit more adventurous way to make your own snacks or at-home cold-killers.

While learning about our land, we stumbled upon some Viburnum , Ribwort , and Honeysuckle naturally growing in our backyard, and researched some of their uses with a slew of online resources and books on the topic after we foraged. It became a bit like identifying a bird call: once you’ve heard it and can put a name to the tweet, you won't forget it.

I won't forget that ribwort leaves can be used as an herbal cough medicine when brewed, and can help treat insect bites and infections if you’ve run out of other options. If you’re fortunate enough to have a honeysuckle plant, the flowers can make a great drink or syrup , but its berries should not be eaten as they may harm you.

Stacey Estabrook, founder of FLXMushrooms listed her top 10 forgeable wild mushroom species that grow here in the Finger Lakes if you’re interested in a local foraging connection or fungal workshop.

I also certainly won't forget the times I’ve been tricked into eating or touching a plant that isn’t meant for human consumption. Be careful and make sure you know what you’ve got before chowing down on or even making a tea out of it.

That’s about all I’ve got for you today.

Thank you for reading and please reach out to jmack@gannett.com with any comments, questions, or concerns about this newsletter, or news tips in the Tompkins County area.

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Cornell encampment dismantled after 18 days, NY botched legal pot, identify your plants