Archive: Around Town

Washington, DC - Congressman Tom Reed announced Wednesday that two Museums for America Grants from the Institute of Museum and Library services that will benefit New York's 23rd Congressional District. The grants, as part of the Museums for America Grants, will be awarded to the Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institution and the Sciencenter in Ithaca, NY.  The Museum for America grant program supports projects that increase and enhance the experience and service provided to the public. Categories for this program include: learning experience, community anchors and collections and stewardship.

"Grants such as these allow museums to expand and continue to provide excellent services for visitors and community members," said Reed. "Expanding access to education and information is something we care about and we are proud to deliver this grant for people who both live in and visit Ithaca."

Aurora, NY - Wells College has been named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country, according to its 2020 rankings data that were announced today (Sept. 9, 2019). The publication ranked Wells at #124 for national liberal arts colleges, tied with five other institutions of higher education. (Last year, Wells was included in an unranked tier of schools #173 through #229 on that same list.)

The College also scored high on two rankings related to socioeconomic and ethnic/racial diversity, rankings Wells #14 in the country for "social mobility" in the category of national liberal arts colleges (tied with three other institutions), and #44 for "campus diversity," also in the same category.

By Adam Kramarsyck

Bubby is a handsome, young guy who likes to go on walks around the property with the family. Bubby enjoys attention on his own terms. He likes playing with moths and other bugs, so he's happy to work as a part-time exterminator! He has successfully lived with a dog in the past but played too rough with his feline companion, so might prefer to be the only cat in the household. He's very food motivated and has even learned to sit for treats. If you have an active home and are looking for an outgoing companion, Bubby might be your guy!

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Photo from Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory Titan Arum LivestreamCarolus, one of Cornell's two Titan arum plants, also known as 'corpse flowers', will again unleash its fetid odor in the Liberty Hyde Bailey Conservatory on Tower Road in the coming days.

"The flowering is brief – just a day or two – and difficult to predict," said Paul Cooper, the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station greenhouse grower who cares for the Titan arums and more than 600 other species of plants in the conservatory. "But the bloom is nothing if not memorable."

By Adam Kramarsyck

Hello there! I’m Django! I’m a big boy who loves the outdoors! I love to get into the trash when I’m home alone, but what can I say, I’m an opportunistic dog! I can be a bit stubborn, so I need someone who can help me learn “off” and “leave it” by showing me something fun to do instead! I love to go for walks where I can eat grass and get tangled up in the bushes. For the most part, I’m pretty polite on the leash and I’ll walk along with you once I know that you’re leading me. I'm looking for a home with dog-savvy kids, if any, and could even be persuaded to live with another dog. Overall, I just want to get out of this shelter and live my best life, exploring the world, nose first!

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The Great New York State Fair broke its total attendance record for the fourth year in a row while setting several single-day attendance records during its 13-day run. Last year's record-breaking attendance of 1,279,010 was broken Monday at 11:30 am. Governor Cuomo presented Williams Family of Lakeland, NY with Lifetime Fair Passes and other gifts for being the record-breaking attendees.   147,749 fairgoers came to take advantage of $1 admission day Saturday (when these pictures were taken), breaking the previous all-time highest single-day attendance record of 134,115, that was set last year.

State Fair Director Troy Waffner said, "Record-breaking attendance shows that the hard work that we have put into making the State Fair better each year is paying off for New York State residents and visitors alike, who are enjoying the countless educational and entertainment opportunities it provides."

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With a natural gas moratorium in the Town and Village of Lansing likely to be permanent developers have already been taking advantages of incentives for installing heat pump technology in residences and residential complexes.  But the Heatsmart program is not only for homes.  Program administrators are planning a forum next Wednesday (September 11) for commercial and non-profit businesses to talk about special options available for renewable heating and cooling that are specific to Lansing to mitigate the moratorium.

"The program is focusing on Lansing this year because the needs are greater in Lansing than in the surrounding communities because of the natural gas moratorium," says Solar Tompkins Board Chairman Brian Eden. "We're going to be talking about the technologies, cost and financing."

Paula Kilts. Photo by A Renko, ICSD Communications
Steven Manley, Executive Director of the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI), was joined by Liddy Coyle, Northeast Elementary School Principal, Dr. Luvelle Brown, ICSD Superintendent, and Dr. Stephen Yale-Loehr to present the Raymond C. Loehr Innovative Science Teaching Award to Paula Kilts of Northeast Elementary School.

This award identifies teachers who create innovative science learning opportunities that, according to Lily Talcott, ICSD's Deputy Superintendent, "consistently embody the principles of culturally responsive practices, work toward full inclusion, and embrace innovation within the science and transdisciplinary classroom."

Ithaca City School District (ICSD) Superintendent Dr. Luvelle Brown announced the first cohort of students selected to be part of the Aspiring Educators Award and Program during the district's annual Convocation on Sept. 3.

The Aspiring Educators Award and Program recognizes high school students from the ICSD who show promise as future educators and educational leaders. The program is open to rising juniors and seniors from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in pursuing teaching as a profession.

By Adam Kramarsyck

Meet Diamond! She is a sweetie-pie who loves attention. Diamond's previous owner reports that she enjoyed climbing in their lap for some petting, especially if they had a blanket over their legs. Diamond has a history of allergies, potentially environmental, but the cause has yet to be confirmed. She is not a fan of other cats but loves being brushed and is looking for that special someone to spend the rest of her life with. Is it you?

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Lansing's Myers Park is a wonderful community resource. Here are some selected photos from a sunny morning, as well as a balmy evening. It includes images from the "2019 Myers Park Concert Series", featuring "Bad Alibi", which was enjoyed by a very large crowd.

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