Archive: Around Town

For many years, teacher Steve Ryan taught third-graders at Cayuga Heights Elementary School (CHES) the art of rocket-making. After his retirement three years ago, the program was discontinued, except for an afterschool enrichment class that served only a few students. This year, with the help of Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) Red and Gold Grants, the rocket program is back.

“We saw the enrichment program happening, and we decided we should bring it back into the school day,” said Spencer Hill, one of three third-grade teachers who received a Red and Gold Grant to fund the program at CHES. Red and Gold Grants are awards for one-time projects that strengthen and enrich Ithaca schools. May 6 is the next deadline for Red and Gold Grant application submissions, and the awards of up to $500 are announced within two weeks.

With the help of an Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI) Teacher Grant, Enfield Elementary School Art Teacher Christine Finnigan and community partner artist Jay Stooks of the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) created with their students a new “Artful Math Mural” for the school.

Finnigan is one of 31 teachers who received an IPEI Teacher Grant this academic year. Teacher Grants are awards of up to $1,500 for teachers to implement an innovative educational program with a community partner in Ithaca schools.

The Fourth Annual East Shore Festival of the Arts (ESFOTA) opens in the Town Hall campus May 3rd from 6 to 9 pm.  In addition to the art, the popular opening features food and wine, activities for the kids, historical Lansing exhibits, music, and this year the featured artist will be sculpting outside the Town Hall during the opening.

"I'm very excited about our featured artist," says ESFOTA organizer Robin Schuttenberg.  "She is a chain saw carver named Penny Towner.  When she's not carving on logs with her chain saw she drives a big rig.  She sometimes hauls salt for Cargill.  She uses an air brush to put designs on big tractor trailers."

The Ithaca Y, Ithaca Dragon Boat Club and Paddle-N-More announced a partnership Monday to get more people paddling.    The partnership is centering on the 8th annual Finger Lakes International Dragon Boat Festival this July, with the three joining forces to build more dragon boat, outrigger canoe and paddleboard teams.

"The mission of both our organizations is youth development and healthy living, so it seemed natural for us to participate and collaborate," said Ithaca Y CEO Frank Towner.  "We have approximately 4400 members at the YMCA.  It was natural for us to come together and reach more people, utilize the Y for meetings and efforts of the Dragon Boat Club.  Then we met with Paddle-N-More to introduce more paddling sports to the community."

	A few years ago, my heart stopped functioning properly. A cardiac artery was blocked, and I felt some strange and scary symptoms. The blockage was relieved with a stent, and the hospital that installed it included a detailed lecture to all such patients. They don’t want to see us again. Heeding that information has kept me healthy, and I want to share what I’ve learned.

Today, we’ll think about protein, fat, and dessert. Yum. Or so we hope. This takes getting used to.

Know what I miss even more than bacon? Cheese! I love pizza. Mac and cheese. Apples and cheese. Wine and cheese. Grilled cheese sandwiches. All are memories now. I drool over the cheese displays in Wegman’s. The low fat cheeses are mostly terrible, and the no-fat ones melt about as well as vinyl floor tiles.

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Hi there! My name is Chance - and I'm hoping you'll give me one! I'm such a good boy! The only reason I'm at the shelter is because my previous owner could no longer care for me since I was going after their cat. I do like other dogs, but most likely larger ones. I am very loving and loyal and I bond quickly with people who show me kindness. I have a lot of energy to burn so a home where I can get lots of exercise would be ideal. I will reward you with lots of devotion.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Kai Haskins, of Enfield, an 11th grade student at New Roots Charter School is honored as Tompkins County Distinguished Youth for April.  Described as an environmental activist concerned with issues of climate change and the environmental impact of our energy choices locally, Kai is described by principal Tina Nilsen-Hodges as someone who is “generous in bringing his considerable talents to service to his school and the wider Tompkins County community”—an actor who uses his gifts in communication and drama to increase community awareness by hydraulic fracturing.

As a part of New York State’s Volunteer Generation initiative, the Regional Volunteer Center of the Southern Tier awarded over $3,800 in grants to local organizations participating in National Volunteer Week volunteer activities. This diverse group of projects will allow organizations throughout the region to celebrate National Volunteer Week through community service, volunteer recognition, and education.

After reviewing all of the proposals, the Steering Committee of the Regional Volunteer Center of the Southern Tier chose to fund the following programs:

Cornell Plantations has received The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) Honor Award for Excellence in Landscape Architecture for the parking and storm water management site plan for the Brian C. Nevin Welcome Center.  The award will be accepted by Minakshi Amundsen, Cornell University Planner at the SCUP annual conference in July 2013.

In concert with the construction of the Nevin Welcome Center, which was opened in 2011, Cornell Plantations also made significant improvements to the surrounding botanical garden.  These improvements started with a new parking area and tour- bus drop off zone.  The parking area and arrival plaza were partially constructed of Cornell Structural SoilTM, a special substrate design that allows better root penetration to encourage vigorous tree growth.  The filter strip at the parking area is shaded by trees that will become part of our Urban Tree Collection.

Lansing  Community  Library  (LCL)  is celebrating  the  recent  receipt  of  $7,300  from  the  Bernard  Carl  and  Shirley Rosen Fund of  the  Community  Foundation of  Tompkins  County. The  grant  is  one  of  LCL’s  largest  ever  and  is a direct result of community participation in our Family Summer  Reading  Program, where these funds will be dedicated.

In summer 2013, as the library launches its 'Dig into Books' theme, the Rosen Grant will help to fund a manager for the program, and Library Director Susie Gutenberger has already envisioned several additions to the annual event, including additional interactive storytelling, a teen writer’s group, and a recycled art class.   Grant funds are never assured so over the next three years, LCL hopes to develop a fully funded Family Summer Reading Program, gradually increasing the part of our annual budget dedicated to this program.

The Ithaca Dragon Boat Club completed its annual "Inlet Cleanup" this afternoon, organized by member Paul Closs. Over 500 pounds of trash, including clothing, metal and glass were collected.

"This is our opportunity to give back", says Closs. "We use the inlet each year to practice and represent Ithaca in the International Dragon Boat Competition, and we appreciate the opportunity to use it."