Ithaca Times Faces Eviction as Financial Troubles Deepen

October 3, 2026 - 19:37

When Jim Bilinski, former founder and publisher of The Ithaca Times, transitioned ownership of the paper to a nonprofit in 2025, the news was met with fanfare. A new chapter was promised, one that would secure the alt-weekly's future and keep local journalism alive in upstate New York. That optimism has now curdled into a familiar story of unpaid bills and mounting debt.

The paper is being evicted from its longtime office space after falling behind on rent, according to court filings. The nonprofit that took over operations, Ithaca Community News, has struggled to raise the funds it promised. Staff members say they learned about the eviction through a notice taped to the door, not from their leadership.

The Ithaca Times has covered Tompkins County for decades, chronicling local politics, arts, and the occasional scandal. Its decline mirrors a broader crisis in community journalism, where small papers fold or shrink as advertising revenue dries up and readers drift to social platforms.

Former employees describe a slow-motion collapse. Paychecks arrived late. Freelancers went unpaid. The nonprofit board, once touted as a savior, has remained largely silent.

For now, the paper's future is uncertain. Its archive, its name, and its role as a local watchdog hang in the balance. Whether it survives depends on money that has not yet materialized.