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Lansing's Advice Column

Email your questions to IMO at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dear IMO,

I love summer. Summer is a time to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables, concerts in the park, and walks along a host of trails. Summer also inaugurates the air-conditioning season. Our office keeps the AC a few degrees above freezing. The office manager claims that the temperature is set by those who do the regular maintenance on the system, and they take into account a whole set of parameters. Meanwhile, I walk around with a thick cardigan sweater, and from time to time, cup my hands together and exhale warm air on them. How can I get management to raise the temperature just a few degrees? Can it really be that difficult?

A very chilly,

Dawn

Outside magazine has confirmed something most Ithacans already know: Ithaca is one of the best towns in America.

The magazine ranked Ithaca sixth in its list of “The 20 Best Towns in America.” The article appears in the magazine’s August issue which goes on sale today.

In compiling the list, Outside magazine editors spent more than two months reviewing cities that had overcome adversity and were "riding on a wave of civic reinvention and fresh ideas."

The top 10 cities on the list best exemplified places that were reinventing themselves and working towards progressive change. Editors looked at how each city invested in itself, rated the natural beauty available to residents, looked at cultural amenities and tried to identify which towns were truly reinvesting in their own best assets.

ITHACA—Teens now have the opportunity to view some big screen versions of their favorite books at the Tompkins County Public Library.

The library recently purchased a one year license from Movie Licensing USA, a division of Swank Motion Pictures, Inc.  The license will allow the library to show movies from most major studios, including Paramount, Warner Bros., Miramax, Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone.

Gas prices aren't the only prices that are going up this year.  Lansing school officials say that their cafeteria meal prices will also go up in September.  "We are very concerned about our families knowing that there is an increase so that they can be prepared for that," says Superintendent Stephen Grimm.  "I don't want it to be a surprise.  Even though there's an economic condition such that people won't be surprised after the fact, they need to be prepared for it now."

Meals are going up by about a quarter per meal, which Grimm says translates to $45 per child per year.  Rising food prices aren't the only factor responsible for the rise.  "Contractually wages go up for the employees, and the food service program is designed to be self-sustaining," explains Business Administrator Mary June King.  "Part of the pressure on (Food Service Director) Cindy Easton is to make sure that she's keeping everything in a good financial place.  She did a lot of research on increasing the prices.  She looked at other similar area schools and found that the prices here at Lansing were quite a bit lower than most of the other school districts."

Hiya, my name is Daisy. I am a spayed white cat. I am eleven years old but don't let that deter you, I am a wonderful girl who needs a home with people who will take good care of me. So please come and visit me at the SPCA

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Hello there my name is Buddy. I am a five-year-old beagle. I am a great dog who needs a wonderful home with a great family. I don't like loud sounds so I won't make a good hunting dog. I don't being hugged so a home without children would suit me fine I also don't like cats. I'm a wonderful dog who need's a wonderful family to take care of me. Please come and visit me at the SPCA.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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The little white barn behind the Lansing Community Center is the historical records building for the Town of Lansing.  This unassuming building houses hundreds of years of Lansing history, has a special humidity-controlled room for delicate documents, and includs the office of Louise Bement, Lansing's official town historian.  "I'm a very creative, very busy town historian," she says.  "I do a lot that other town historians don't do."

That's for sure!  Aside from growing and maintaining the town's collection of historical documents and artifacts, Bement maintains the historic Field School, a one room schoolhouse that was moved to its present location next to the records building from its original home on Peruville Road.  People bring her things for the town's collection.  She does an enormous amount of research, helps people who are researching their family histories, is president of the board of trustees of the Lansing Historical Association , and somewhere along the way has found time to write numerous articles and two books about Lansing, plus collaborate on another seven.

The Boston Herald (1) reported recently a study from the Fidelity Bank showing that a couple needs $225,000 out of their own pocket, in addition to health insurance and Medicare, to cover medical expenses after retirement.  This number was around $215,000 last year and is going up at a rate of 4.7% per year.  At that rate, 4.7% per year, 12 years from now you will need approximately $400,000 in cash at retirement to pay medical costs not covered by health insurance or Medicare.  If Medicare fades out, as many are predicting, you will need far more than that.  Depending on your health, possibly several times that amount would be necessary to keep you living.

Most people would jump to say "we need better health care coverage".  Realistically, there is no way to give each individual in the U.S. an additional $200,000 - $1,000,000 in medical benefits.  Clearly we don't need more health coverage, we need more health!

The most unique house in Lansing is tucked away under a hill in Lansingville.  The house is extremely well insulated, uses almost no conventional power, and is made almost entirely of local materials including beams from trees that came from the farm the house is on, straw insulation, and recycled doors from farm and other family buildings.  It has arguably the best view of Cayuga Lake in all of Tompkins County.  It is a part of history and on the leading edge of the future.

"We bought the land that the house is on probably 25 years ago," says Chuck Benson.  "We would come down for bonfires, camp outs to watch the fireworks.  We talked about building a retirement house here.  I was looking towards an earth shelter house.  I tried to convince my wife that was the way to go, with low energy consumption.  I guess I envisioned something that looked like it rose up out of the ground.  Andra refused to move into a cave, so we compromised with lots of windows on the south side."

Ask IMOAsk IMO

Lansing's Advice Column

Email your questions to IMO at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dear IMO,

What happened to our manners? When I was a young girl, I was taught to respect my elders, speak when spoken to, help those who need it, and always say a kind word. Now that I am older and walk with a cane, I feel that I am invisible. Today's generation are so self absorbed with their iPods, cell phones, and other gadgets, no one ever holds the door open for me or bothers to see where they are walking. What can I do to maintain my sanity?

Thank you,
JoAnne

ITHACA—The Tompkins County Public Library Board of Trustees voted Tuesday, June 24th to remove age restrictions for obtaining library cards, paving the way for children of all ages to develop a love of literacy.

The Library’s previous policy required patrons to be at least two years old before they were eligible to become a cardholder.  Library Director Janet Steiner said the policy change is more consistent with the library’s mission of providing library access to audiences of all ages.

Hello there my name is China. I am a four-year-old pit bull terrier who is filled with lots of energy and puppy love. I love to play fetch and I am eager to please. Because I'm so energetic it would be better if all the children in my new home were over the age of ten also I don't get along well with cat's but I'm good with other dog's and I absolutely love people. Please come and visit me at the SPCA to see if I'm the right pup for you.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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