Archive: Around Town

Lansing student Brigit Alano, 11, won the TST BOCES Creative Writing contest with her story 'A Puma Alone'.  She also won the Velma Van Buskirk Memorial prize for Creative Arts.

A Puma Alone
By Bridget Alano

On a hill in front of a row of pine trees, two excited puma kittens played together while their mother peacefully dozed nearby. They clawed at each other, the orange evening sun illuminating their beautiful, spotted fur. Finally, one of the kitten brothers looked up and noticed a small blue butterfly gliding through the air, like a leaf slowly falling from a tree. The puma kitten left his brother to run off and chase this great source of amusement.

The Association of Science-Technology Centers in Washington, D.C., has awarded the Sciencenter the 2013 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Award for Innovative Business Practice in recognition of its Human Resources Toolkit on MuseumTools.org.

This prestigious international award, made to one museum each year, cited the Sciencenter’s new website MuseumTools.org, an online toolkit of high-impact HR resources for museums and other non-profits to freely download and customize. The toolkit contains four dozen procedures, templates, and tools that the Sciencenter developed. Focus areas include high impact hiring, orientation for long-term success, staff handbooks, managing teams to reach their potential, planning and evaluation, and collaboration.

Turning a near-death experience into a positive, unifying media evolution, Melissa Matthews, through her iINSPIRE USA™ endeavor, is asking people to become part of a nationwide movement. iINSPIRE’s goal is to work collaboratively with news organizations and everyday Americans from across the country to be the change our society is so urgently seeking today.

“While learning how to walk again, recovering from multiple surgeries, and overcoming cognitive processing issues, I desperately needed positivity in my life,” Matthews says. “What hit me as hard as the head-on collision that nearly killed me, was the fact that every time I turned on the news, picked up a paper or spoke to someone about current events, all I heard about was negativity, tragedy, and chaos.”

As the 2012-13 Ithaca City School District (ICSD) year came to a close, the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) announced its most recent grants and the annual grand totals for all grant programs. IPEI is a non-for-profit organization committed to making community connections that encourage innovative teaching and enhance the educational experiences for all ICSD students.

Since last September, IPEI made 106 grants totaling $81,867 including 30 Teacher Grants ($39,838), 73 Red and Gold Grants ($32,129), two Community Collaboration Grants ($4900), and one grant for an emerging opportunity ($5000). In addition, the Fine Arts Booster Group (FABG), an IPEI affiliate, awarded 18 grants totaling $9515; and IPEI allocated $60,218 for the Kids Discover the Trail! program.

Chicago —The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is announced that John C. Comisi, DDS, MAGD, of Ithaca, N.Y., was elected as the association’s speaker of the house during the AGD 2013 Annual Meeting & Exhibits, held June 27 to 30 in Nashville, Tenn.

“I am excited about serving in this position and working alongside the dedicated and passionate leaders of the AGD,” says Comisi. “I will work hard to cultivate an atmosphere that encourages the sharing of opinions and ideas, improving not only this organization, but also the field of dentistry.”

The Cayuga Cancer Center was recently presented with the 2012 Outstanding Achievement Award by the College of Surgeons’ (ACS) Commission on Cancer (CoC). Cayuga Cancer Center is one of the select groups of only 79 US healthcare facilities with accredited cancer programs to receive this national honor for surveys preformed last year. The award acknowledges cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients. The purpose of the award is to raise awareness on the importance of providing quality cancer care at healthcare institutions throughout the US.

In addition, it is intended to motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care and best practices, encourage honorees to serve as quality-care resources to other cancer programs and educate cancer patients on available quality-care options.

School Success Transportation Coalition Coordinator Carrie Kerr, announced the organization has received a $2500 grant from The Helen Thomas Howland Foundation, as administered by the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, and the Erin Aljoe Schlather Dedicated Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation. This funding will support Transportation Liaisons in each Ithaca City School District (ICSD) school during the 2013-14 year.

"Transportation has long been recognized as a barrier for many families in our community, preventing participation in events and meetings held at school," said Kerr who is joined by other community members on the Coalition.

Hi! I'm a purebred American Bulldog named Izzy! I came to the nice folks at the SPCA of TC when my owners had to move into a home that wasn't dog friendly. (How can there even BE such a place?) I'm only two years young so I have a full life ahead to start over with my new family. I'm crate trained, housebroken, and respectful of your things when I'm left alone. I've also lived with school aged children and did well with them! I do prefer to be the only animal of your affections, so no other animals. You won't be missing them anyways since I have so much personality and spunk! Please come and scoop me up!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Hi folks! My name is Shadow! I came here with my sister, Frisky, when our cat dander began to be a real issue for the child in our house. We've always been indoor cats, so it's not like we miss roaming around or anything, but I like to stay in bed with my person. I REALLY miss that part of home. I enjoy playing with other cats and I've ALWAYS used my litter box. I know, I need to slim down a little, but other than that, what's not to love? Have I piqued your interest? I'm a really good boy just looking for my forever home. If you have a dog that's probably okay, since I lived with a dog at my last place- and obviously a cat! So basically, I'm perfect! What's stopping you from going to the SPCA of TC and checking me out? Nothing? Cool! See you soon!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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	Last week: why Hartz resigned and what's wrong with education in New York. This week: A look back at four years as principal.

When we interviewed Eric Hartz a few weeks ago he spoke passionately about how New York has so broken the education system that it has become impossible for teachers and administrators to function in their traditional roles as educators.  He spoke just as passionately about his four years as Lansing High School Principal.  Here is what he had to say.


Lansing Star: When you came in as principal you garnered a reputation first and foremost for ramping up discipline in the high school.  Looking back what would you say your major accomplishments were and what you were most proud of?

Eric Hartz:  I'll be honest with you.  I feel my biggest contribution to this district has been safety and security of students.  I've felt I've had a huge impact on that in four years.  My discipline was all geared toward the safety and security of students.

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Lansing Housing Authority members are hoping donations will rise as smoothly as a new elevator they are installing at Woodsedge.  The $240,000 project will not only improve the quality of life for residents, but will also facilitate emergency personel when they are called to the senior housing facility.

"The seniors who live at Woodsedge are very excited to finally get a safe and effective way to get to and from the second floor," says Town of Lansing Housing Authority (TLHA) Chairman George Gesslein.  "It has been very difficult for them and they have been hoping for this to happen for some time."

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