Archive: Around Town

Many people dream of ditching modern life and going back to a more basic, pastoral dream life with a slower pace and a strong connection to family and nature.  Few actually do it, in part because they don't view it a real option, and also because they need to make a living.  Pete and Hilarie Larson and their three young children found a way to make it happen on a small Lansing family farm in a way that supports their family and is a living testament to their farming and world ethics.

"I thought farming was a way to get to the heart of the matter: how we regard nature and the natural world and how we come to a healthy relationship with it," Larson says.  "A lot of people push nature out of their lives and relate to it by proxy.  'I can rely on a farmer to do that for me.  I can just get food from the supermarket.'  Some people may say 'I don't care how the animal was raised.  It's food.'  OK, if you don't care about how the animal was raised you should care about the quality and flavor of the meat."

Meet Bee! Bee is a one year old male who was semi-feral when he came in and had a bit of an eye issue. Thankfully the great med staff here fixed him up and now he’s good to go home! He’s a very sweet guy looking for someone to spend the rest of his life with. Bee is sure to say hello with plenty of head-butts and purrs! He’s all ready to go home with you; he’s neutered, microchipped, and has had his age appropriate vaccines. Are you ready to accept a wonderful young cat into your home? Bee hopes so; he has a lot of love to give!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Solar Tompkins launched a program Wednesday that aims to double the solar-generated electric power capacity installed on homes and small businesses in the county by increasing the affordability and accessibility of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The group, a non-profit community organization, is led by a board of local volunteers with the guidance of a full-time Program Director.

Melissa Kemp, Solar Tompkins’ Program Director says, “Solar has never been so affordable, and it is now available in several easy ways including options with no upfront investment. It’s amazing”, she continued, “You can make the switch to clean, reliable electricity and often pay the same or less than you are paying today.”

Cayuga Radio Group was in the Ithaca Festival Parade with their canned food drive 'Cans Along Cayuga'. Last year 1,000 pounds of food was collected and donated to the United Way of Tompkins County for various food pantries in the area.

“‘Cans Along Cayuga’ was born out of our discussions with the United Way of Tompkins County,” said Vice President/General Manager Chet Osadchey, “They continue to see increased hunger issues within our community, and our team at Cayuga Radio came up with the idea to get as many people to participate in a fun event that would help address this important problem.”

Zuzu is a classically handsome (and typically goofy!) lab/weimaraner mix. He is a whole lot of bouncy, happy, lab-y fun. At just one year old, he has a full lifetime to share with his new adopters. Zuzu would do happiest in an active home where he can run and run and run (and run). This smart pup has learned some doggie manners - he knows that sitting is a polite way to ask for something, but he needs a person who is going to continue to work with him. He also is already house broken and is crate trained - what a catch! Zuzu would prefer to be the only dog in his new home. Come in and meet this lovely goofball today!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Volunteers and families gathered at Auburn's Sunset Restaurant Saturday to celebrate the successes of the North Lansing Auxiliary's 54th year.  The annual banquet attracted 65 people this year.  The Auxhiliary maintains the North Lansing fire station and provides assistance to local organizations and individuals, and scholarships to Lansing students. 

"No matter how much or how little you are involved, if not for all of you, we would not be enjoying this pleasant evening," said moderator Connie Wilcox.  "Each of you contribute to our successful Pancake Breakfasts or our annual Election Day Dinner and Supper whether it is by working, furnishing goods or just general support."

Lansing High School junior William Lewis has been awarded a full scholarship to the 2014 Telluride Association Summer Program at Cornell University, 'Race and the Limits of Law in America.' This year Telluride Association is co-sponsoring four programs, two with Cornell University and two with the University of Michigan.

These six-week-long educational programs involve college- level seminars for gifted and highly motivated high school juniors.

TST BOCES officials are power hungry.  Hungry for solar power, that is.  Director of Career & Technical and Alternative Education Tony DiLucci says that one use for the new 53 kilowatt solar array on the roof of the Automotive Trades building on the Warren Road campus could be to power a greenhouse for a 'Greenhouse To Table' project, but the educational value doesn't stop there.

"In reality I can see that one little venture including over 100 kids," DiLucci says.  "That's just one thing, not to mention all of the science instruction that (science teacher) David Syracuse is planning to develop.  There is science instruction in our Exceptional Education program, and I am sure that the science teachers there as well as in our alternative education program will use it, and our social studies teachers when they talk about global climate change... the opportunities are endless."

The Ithaca College and Cornell University Student United Way groups received national recognition for their service to United Way of Tompkins County (UWTC) and the community at the United Way Worldwide Community Leaders Conference, May 15, in National Harbor, Maryland.

Ithaca College Student United Way (IC SUW) received the EDUCATION Promising Practice Award, and Cornell University Student United Way (CU SUW) received the GIVE Promising Practice Award. They will be invited to present their promising practices at the annual Student United Way conference in Alexandria, VA in September.

After a week of brush pickup early this month the Town Highway Department is preparing to have the brush converted to wood chips, which are then made available to residents for their gardens and lawns.  While waiting for Cayuga County Stone & Water to chip the large pile of brush in about two weeks, residents can theoretically get wood chips from last year's pile -- but not until yesterday.  It was because of a goose with a chip on her shoulder... or more accurately below her nest.

"We do have a small pile of wood chips left," Highway Superintendent Jack French said Wednesday at a Town Board meeting.  "The problem is we have a goose sitting on a nest on top of the pile.  We let a few people in there when she started sitting on the nest a few weeks ago, but it started undermining the nest.   We're not letting anybody near it."

Northeast Elementary School first graders and Ithaca Children’s Garden Education Coordinator Leigh MacDonald-Rizzo planted butterfly host plants last week as part of a new partnership program funded by an Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) Teacher Grant.

The program is a pilot intended to offer feedback for a curriculum model that can be offered to elementary classes throughout the Ithaca district’s eight elementary schools.

Last year teachers and students at R. C. Buckley Elementary School decided to write a school song.  The students voted to write their lyrics to the tune of 'Rockin' Robin' and shared all the things lhey love about their school on a big sign.  Teachers and staff crafted the lyrics from these ideas.  Monday the third and fourth grade chorus sang the new song for the Lansing Board Of Education.  Here is a video of their performance.  Elementary School Principal Christine Rebera introduces the song and music teacher Katie Howell accompanies the kids on the keyboard.  The lyrics are printed below:

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