Archive: Around Town

The Ithaca Professional Fire Fighters Association (IPFFA) typically holds events and drives to raise money to fight cancer and muscular dystrophy in humans.  This month they are doing something different, to benefit animals.  The union is conducting a food and supplies drive for animals to help the Tompkins County SPCA take care of the influx of dogs and especially cats that the winter typically brings.  The drive is being spearheaded by Firefighter/EMT Adam Buck with assistance from Lieutenant Tom Deis.

"We two and a lot of the other members are animal people," Buck says.  "We all have animals, grew up on farms, have animals now... we decided to do something to shake it up a little bit.  Now is a good time of the year to do something for animals, because things are harder in the middle of winter.  The SPCA is seeing more animals dropped off that need to be cared for, medicated, and adopted.  So we think this is a good time of year to do this."

Today (February 11, 2011) is a special day for 2-1-1 call centers across the country including the 2-1-1 call center serving Tompkins County. National 2-1-1 Day celebrates the work of 240 active 2-1-1 Call Centers in 46 states serving 82% of the U.S. population.

One of the three arms of the Human Services Coalition, 2-1-1 Tompkins and its team of trained Information and Referral (I&R) Specialists help community members connect with local, regional, and national resources, offering referrals to help with a variety of situations. Dialing 2-1-1 from any phone in Tompkins County puts you in touch with a 2-1-1 I&R Specialist. 2-1-1 confidential phone service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with local specialists responding to inquiries weekdays between 8:30 am and 5 pm.

Wells College has received a gift in excess of $34,000 from the Hagedorn Fund in support of its Learning Commons. The Learning Commons is a center providing academic support, encouraging student learning, and centralizing academic resources. It also promotes the Wells College library, where it is located, as a study space and point of access. The gift comes in addition the Hagedorn Fund’s continued and generous support of Wells College’s annual fund.

The Commons currently houses the Dean of Academic Advising, the Director of Experiential Learning and Career Services, the Coordinator of Learning Support Services, and the Writing Center—a student-tutor writing support center overseen by a professor. Through the Learning Commons, students can hone their skills in inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, written and oral communications, career preparedness, information literacy, teamwork and problem solving, and personal and social responsibility.

There is evidence as well as stories that the Rogue's Harbor Inn made liquor for its customers during Prohibition.  That is part of the mythology that got the inn it's roguish name.  Over the past three months owner Eileen Stout has been putting together the pieces she'll need to revive that tradition.  This time the inn will be opening a microbrewery to make beer for Rogue's Harbor patrons.  Stout says she hopes to launch the new beer in a couple of weeks with a whole week of events, including free tastings and pint glasses, half price growlers, live music, and brewery tours.

This week Stout and brewer Chris Williams were busy making test batches, getting supplies, and putting together the Rogue's Harbor Brewing Company in the wooden building next to the inn.  Most recently that building housed the Lansing Fresh Cafe, and before that Gimme Coffee!, and a jewelry/antiques shop before that.  While the brewery is starting modestly with only one beer, Stout is already looking to the future.

Hey there my name is T.J, I am a seven year old domestic medium hair/mix. I'm a beautiful girl who is looking for a loving home, so come and visit me at the SPCA to see if I'm the right cat for you!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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The Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth (PRI), along with Cornell University, the Lab of Ornithology and the Kitchen Theatre, celebrate the 202nd birthday and lasting legacy of Charles Darwin, Feb. 6 – 13. This year will be the sixth annual Ithaca Darwin Days featuring lectures and panel discussions on Cornell's campus, a birthday reception in commemoration of Darwin's legacy and a family day filled with fun activities including live dogs at the Museum of the Earth.

Darwin and Domestication is this years’ theme.  In the “Origin of Species”, Darwin dedicates the first several chapters to considering domesticated animals and plants as a model for the concept of descent with modification.

Wells College is expanding its experiential learning program in order to better bridge students’ transitions from majors to careers. To facilitate the change, Wells is transforming its office of career development services into a center for the advising of “experiential learning”—learning that takes place through educational experiences that occur outside the conventional classroom, such as internships. The restructured office will guide students through required undergraduate experiential learning, and will also provide more traditional career services.

Hey there, my name is Misu. I am a one-year-old domestic short hair/mix. I'm a gorgeous girl who is looking for a loving home, so please come and visit me at the SPCA to see if I'm the right cat for you!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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In 2010 Lansing volunteers responded to 1,126 emergency calls including fires and medical emergencies.  Last Saturday those volunteers gathered at the Ramada Inn to honor their own at the annual Lansing Fire Department Dinner.  Department officers gathered in uniform along with spouses and invited guests.  While the evening provided a rare opportunity for the whole department to sit back, relax, and celebrate, it was also an opportunity to honor those volunteers who have given the community their time and expertise, and who put their lives on the line for Lansing residents.

Lansing Chief Scott Purcell started the proceedings with a moment of silence to honor members of the armed services and 87 U.S. fire fighters who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2010.  Tompkins County Director of Emergency Response Lee Shurtleff then swore in the officers who had been elected for 2011.  Officers include Chief Purcell, Deputy Chief brad George, 1st Assistant Chief Darrell Rhoads, 2nd Assistant Chief Thomas Cooper, Captain Michael Drake, Lieutenant Darin Buck, Lieutenant Dennis Griffin, Lieutenant Matthew Day, and Lieutenant Scott Walters.

Anyone who has ever sat over math homework wondering “when will I ever need to use this stuff?” must check out the Sciencenter’s winter exhibition - Fun, 2, 3, 4: all about a number of things!  Opening at the museum the last weekend in January, this featured exhibition promises to answer that very question for museum visitors as they take a walk on the wild side of math.

Measurement, estimation, counting and calculation take on new meaning as your whole body gets involved in measuring a dinosaur, counting like the Aztecs, testing your reaction time, and playing funky hopscotch.  Clever kids can learn how to best grow their allowance savings, and the daring and observant can help solve a millimeter mystery and uncover funny math bloopers.

For over a decade The Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth (PRI) and the Cayuga Nature Center (CNC), have actively partnered on many programs from exhibits to events. This collaboration has capitalized on the unique strengths of these two organizations to offer high-quality natural science programming to the central New York region, and also improve joint and separate programmatic capacity at both organizations. Today, the Board of Trustees of PRI and CNC, voted unanimously to formally move forward on a plan towards the eventual legal merger with CNC. This new enhanced partnership will allow the two organizations to reach a greater number of children and families.

The Tompkins County Rideshare Coalition announced they’ve partnered with Zimride to launch a customized social network for local and regional ridesharing.  The Zimride site, is a convenient way to find friends, coworkers or neighbors with whom to share commutes or one-time rides. Zimride, which can be used with Facebook, empowers people to join together and reduce traffic, parking difficulties and provide substantial cost-savings for our community. The Tompkins County Rideshare Coalition brings together Way2Go of Tompkins County Cooperative Extension, Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council, TCAT and Tompkins County government with Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community College.