Archive: Around Town

A newly acquired 18th-century map of what is now New York state, showing Seneca and Cayuga villages and native footpaths in addition to natural features, offers insights into colonial life.

The manuscript, drawn by prominent Albany-based mapmaker and surveyor John Rutse Bleecker, is now part of the American history and culture collections in Cornell University Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections. It consists of three maps: a finished map of Hudson County, and sketched maps of Schoharie Creek and Seneca and Cayuga territory.

Awardees in the Sustainable Tompkins' third annual People's Choice Signs of Sustainability poll were celebrated on April 29 as part of Climate March and Earth Day Ithaca events.

Attendees were excited to see Hotel Groton, owned by Jeffrey Toolan, take first place in the Business category of the 2017 Signs ofJeff Toolan took 1st place in the Business category for transforming a historic hotel in Groton into a state-of-the art carbon neutral facility featuring local and organic dining that is helping revitalize the village's downtown. Sustainability Awards. The former Groton Hotel is now known as Hotel Groton since Jeff turned this historic landmark main street building into a sustainably-renovated-to-it's-period-beauty, 100% electric-powered, all LED, carbon neutral building serving local and organic food in the café. Toolan's restoration of this decaying building into a renewed destination will help rebuild the local economy in Groton with an attractive, modern and sustainable business. Sustainable Tompkins says the project qualifies as a 'truly heroic effort' and anticipates many will take a road trip to dine at the new Hotel Groton.

Last summer members of the Ithaca High School Class of '61 gathered to celebrate their 55th reunion. When registering for the weekend, they were asked to consider giving to IPEI. Enough was donated to fund three Red and Gold Grants this year that directly impact Ithaca High: '100th Anniversary of I.H.S. Band Commissioned Composition', 'Changing Graphs and Shapes from 2D Paper into 3D Space in Geometry and Calculus', and 'An Exploration of Medieval Treasures and the Role of the Hero- Viewing WWI through Art'.

Returning to Myers Park for the first time since winter?  An attractive new dock at Myers Park provides a unique look at the lake, the lighthouse, and the park itself.  That's what it is for, a kind of boardwalk for people to walk along to get a different vantage point.  Park Superintendent Steve Colt says that boating to the dock is impractical, and swimming will not be allowed.

"Flares around the lake, sunsets, the watch fire... people are drawn to water.  And when there's a dock or a pier it's just natural that they go out on it.  It would be an unbelievable vantage point for birding migrations -- I could see people setting up tripods there, getting an angle on the point that you couldn't get before.  It's basically a boardwalk, point of interest, observation point," Colt says.  "There are several reasons for that, but one of the big reasons is the depth of the water where the dock's located is probably four feet at best.  When the guys were building the dock before the railings went up, if you walked to the farthest point out at the end of the dock when the water was really clear in the late winter, early spring, you could look farther out and see the water gets even more shallow because of the sand bar that hooks around from the point by Salmon Creek."

Ithaca native Serena Exantus, the reigning Miss Teen New York United States, will join the Habitat for Humanity float for the Ithaca Festival Parade on Friday, June 2. Exantus, who recently worked on a Habitat build, said, “I am deeply honored that Habitat for Humanity invited me to join them as part of the Ithaca Festival Parade. I support the work they do throughout the world, and I encourage everyone in Tompkins County to get involved – either work on a Habitat build, as I did, or send them some money!”

Exantus, who is 18 years old, is a graduate of Ithaca High School and is currently studying political science (pre-law) at Lemoyne College, Syracuse, New York. Later this summer she will compete against titleholders from all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the Miss Teen USA title.

The Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG) awarded four grants to support arts education for students. Booster supported DeWitt Middle School Orchestra’s travel to Boston for a performance clinic with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Fall Creek Brass Band will perform at Beverly J. Martin Elementary, including a joint song with fourth and fifth graders, and Cayuga Heights Elementary will organize all district third graders to attend an Ithaca Ballet performance and demonstration in the coming school year.

In addition, the Ithaca High School musical production of Anything Goes was supported by a special grant from the Strebel Fund for Community Enrichment of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County. These four projects will reach 777 students and $3,457 was granted.


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Dear Margaret: I have a fairly good relationship with my mother. However, she has recently made a habit of making subtle remarks that are designed to erode my self-confidence, and successfully so. The barbs are hurtful. She makes remarks on how much money I spend, or don’t spend. She will comment on the color shirt I’m wearing if she feels it’s not flattering. If the company I keep is not up to her standards, I’ll hear about it. As I get older I am getting weary of her criticisms and don’t want to resort to distancing myself from her. How can I get her to stop this behavior so I can enjoy a relationship with her?
Mother Feels Superior

Leslyn McBean Clairborne will receive the Finger Lakes PULSE Ally of the Year award on June 20 during the county legislature meeting which will be held at 121 W Court Street, Ithaca at 5:30 pm.

The founding members of Finger Lakes PULSE will acknowledge and honor McBean Clairborne as Ally of the Year, thanking her for her lifetime commitment and achievements in making progress at the County level by creating safe zones.

Tompkins County Legislator Martha Robertson has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the Women's Leadership Council of the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC).

A new initiative by NYSAC, the Women's Leadership Council is the first statewide program in New York State focused specifically on providing support to women in county government. Launch of the Women's Leadership Council coincides with the 100th anniversary of New York State signing women's suffrage into law.

I'm taking some time to write now since we're in a tornado watch. The morning at the pool, and dinner tonight in Disney Springs, tornado be damned. It's our last night and we may have a wild time, but it WILL be memorable.

Over the last week we've been fed past reason, walked many, MANY miles (walking all the food off), soaked, baked, been pleased, been disappointed and otherwise had a very worthwhile time.

by Sarah Post

Are you looking for a fun-loving, happy as can be teenager? If so, choose me! I'm a boxer/pit mix and absolutely love playing, cuddling with volunteers, and learning new tricks. I'm an excitable young dog who came in with very few manners, but the trainers at the shelter are teaching me so many fun things! My play style is a bit rough and tumble for other dogs, so it’s best if I’m the only pet in the home. After a good play session, I love nothing more than to cuddle in your lap. My exuberance for life may be a bit much for youngsters, but high school aged children and older would be fine. It would be great to have other teenagers at home to play with! If I sound like the perfect package, come in and say hello today – I can’t wait to meet you!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Once a year the tables are turned on the members of the North Lansing Auxiliary -- instead of taking their posts in the community room in the North Lansing Fire Station, serving pancakes, coffee, dinners and suppers, they are themselves served at an annual dinner at the Sunset Restaurant in Auburn.  This year the dining room was full as Treasurer Connie Wilcox reviewed the year's accomplishments and presented awards to members who go above and beyond the call of duty when serving their community.

"The definition of community is service or service of volunteering by individuals or an organization to benefit a community," Wilcox said.  "Each and every one of you are defined by this definition.  No matter how much or how little you were involved, you all contribute in a very big way.  Each of you contributed to our successful pancake breakfasts, our election day Dinner and Supper, by working, or furnishing goods, or general support."